


I Know We Can Make It Better Than It Ever Was

by DreamingDemon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Master of Death Harry Potter, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2019-08-29 13:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 41,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16744939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingDemon/pseuds/DreamingDemon
Summary: What was left when you’d outlived everyone you’d ever known and found the world moving on as you slipped into the background, forever to watch but never again participate?Or, Harry leaves his world for another in hopes of peace for eternity and finds something better instead.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Epoch-the Living Tombstone remix by Savlonic.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74VIG-SdX3g

As the last golden rays of sunlight slipped below the sea, a lone figure sat perched on the rocky cliffs of Scotland staring out at the waves. Everything had an order, a balance if you will. Keeping it steady and holding true because nothing stayed stationary in the grand scheme of life. Things changed, from the oldest stone to the fiercest tide, for that was the way of it. Energy was never created or destroyed, it simply evolved into one form, then evolved into a different one when that cycle had finished. That had been one of the few things he’d never forgotten from his muggle education, brief as it had been.

  


Things lived, died, then lived again in a different shape. Well almost everything, he thought with an edge of sorrow. Stars had steadily begun appearing when the air to the figure’s left rippled. He smiled faintly and shouldered his pack before slipping easily through it and disappearing as the sky finally fell black. The space rippled once more before fading out of sight.

  


* * *

The air was crisp with autumn as a dark haired figure turned up the collar of his coat, his footsteps soundless on the pavement and his presence unnoticed in the bustle of the city. He veered off to the left into the park, letting his feet carry him down the path with no real destination in mind. He’d been in this city, this world, for less than 12 hours and already he’d grown a liking to the anonymity he’d found in the crowded streets filled with ordinary people going about their lives completely ignoring him. He’d dropped the notice-me-not charm shortly after arriving. 

  


So far he’d only picked up on the barest hint of magic, and whoever it belonged to was keeping well away from him. He wondered if his magic would even be picked up on by the individual. Back years and years ago when Hermione was still working at the ministry she’d mentioned that his magic had changed over the years, that it felt different and was harder to find if you didn’t know what you were looking for. He hadn’t put much thought into it simply shrugging and making a throw away comment about war changing people. She’d rolled her eyes and huffed before changing the subject. 

  


The path he was on opened out into a plaza with a fountain situated in the middle and he found an out of the way bench to drop down onto, one leg unconsciously coming up to cross over the other. Brilliant green eyes observed the world around him pausing on the mother leading two small children down the sidewalk, hands clasped tightly in hers. To his left what appeared to be a college student with an armful of books and a pencil stuck behind his ear beneath a red skullcap hurried past. It brought a shadow of a smile to his lips seeing so much life flourishing around him. 

  


He sighed and let his head fall back, staring up at the cloudy sky. If he was going to stay here, and here seemed as good a place as any to watch the world go by, he’d need somewhere to live and something to keep himself occupied. A job of sorts, something that let him see beyond a desk would be a good place to start. 

  


* * *

In the end it took 4 days of wandering the streets and living in his tent, pitched in a quiet corner of the park behind heavy wards, before he stumbled across a nice cafe situated kitty-corner to a large silver building with the word ‘Stark’ at the top in lights. He didn’t much care for the flashy design of the building, but to each their own. The cafe was nice, decorated to look like a garden inside with bookshelves tucked against the walls and little round wire tables sprinkled in with comfy leather armchairs. Stained glass windows high on the walls above the awning outside bathed the cafe in a rainbow of colors when the sun hit them, giving everything an ethereal glow. 

  


The woman who owned the shop, Celeste, reminded him of another white-blonde haired girl he’d seen grow into a powerful Seer and an accomplished Magizoologist beyond anyone before her. The same blonde he’d fought side by side with in the final battle, her radish earrings ever present as she expertly sent spells flying every direction. 

  


She’d hired him on quickly as she’d just lost her closing manager days before and needed an immediate replacement, she hadn’t care about his lack of papers either thankfully. He’d spent the day following behind her as she’d introduced him to his new coworkers, and shown him the ropes of his the cafe was run and what his responsibilities would be. 

  


It was as they were turning off the lights and locking up that she’d turned to study him, as thought she could see right through him to his soul that she’d offhandedly mentioned the studio, ‘only big enough for a mouse really’, above the shop was available if he was interested. 

  


“What makes you think I’m looking for a place?” He asked curiously.

  


She studied him for a moment more before shaking her head slightly and offering a warm knowing smile. “You have that look about you, the one that says you haven’t quite found your place in the world just yet.”

  


That’s all she’d said about it before pulling a key off her keyring and tossing it at him with a comment on the lock being difficult and a gesture to a door mostly hidden just at the edge of the cafe’s awning. Then she was gone, disappearing down the block and around the corner, leaving him alone under the streetlight in the chilly night air. 

  


* * *

The apartment was indeed quite small, big enough only for a full sized bed, a chair and table beneath a pinhole window, and a tiny kitchenette. A few well placed expansion charms had moved it from cramped to cozy in moments. Bumping out the ‘bedroom’ space enough to have a curtain separating it from the ‘kitchen’, and spelling the walls a rich burnt orange added to the ambiance. With a flick of his hands his clothing appeared in the expanded closet and one of the lamps from his tent appeared along with his nightstand, settling neatly in between the bed and curtain. Another wave and the bed was made up in muted teal sheets and a patchwork brown comforter that reminded him of the Burrow and the Weasleys. All in all it radiated warmth, which certainly didn’t hurt as the tiniest of flakes had begun to fall outside the tiny window. 

  


* * *

Things fell easily into routine around the cafe. He would spend the morning hanging around his apartment or out wandering the streets, then he’d grab a quick lunch before heading to the cafe for his shift from 3pm to 11pm on Tuesday through Saturday. He didn’t mind the hours as it gave him sufficient time to explore the city and all it’s little nooks and crannies. 

  


He’d spent most of the day perusing a rather large bookstore, sipping coffee and pausing here and there to pull out a book. A glance at the clock told him it was time to head back to the cafe and he made his way to the counter, a small stack of old tomes in his arm. Before leaving he’d emptied his vaults of anything he might need and exchange all his gold into muggle money much to the goblin’s disappointment, though the sword of Gryffindor had made them much happier. 

  


Books stowed in his expanded messenger bag, he made his way home, stopping only to drop off his purchases before going back downstairs and pushing open the cafe door. The little bell overhead cheerfully announced his arrival. 

  


“See I told you he wouldn’t be late.” Mia’s voice was the first thing he heard upon pulling open the door to the cafe. “He’s never late.” 

  


Seth rolled his eyes and finished restocking the pastry case as Mia untied her apron.

  


“Should I have not been on time?” He asked, a teasing lilt to his voice as he made for the backroom to stow his coat and get an apron.

  


“No, Mia just thinks she knows everything.” Seth replied as he breezed by back into the kitchen. 

  


“Hey that is not true at all,” Mia’s incredulous voice called from the doorway. “I was just alerting you to the fact that Harry has yet to be even a minute late once.”

  


Seth popped his head around the wall. “Yeah, that’s what I said.” Then disappeared again. 

  


Mia huffed and walked back out to the counter leaving Harry halfway between the two with memories of a brunette and a redhead floating through the back of his mind.

  


With a fond smile he clocked in and wandered out to the front to take over for Mia. 

  


“You know I” The cafe shook as an explosion sounded close by, followed by screaming. 

  


Without a second thought Harry flicked his hand bringing up the strongest wards he knew as he ran to the window. Something shot by followed by more of the flying things zooming through the air in swarms, almost directly overhead a hole had ripped in the sky allowing the creatures through. 

  


“Everybody into the back, now!” He shouted turning on his heel and surveying the handful of people inside. “Mia get everyone into the store-room and barricade the door!” 

  


She nodded then paused half turned when she saw him pull open the door. “Where are you going?” 

  


Harry glance back. “To figure out what’s going on.” With that he pulled the door shut behind him, wordlessly locking it and carefully expanded his wards until they encompassed the entire block in a faintly glowing silver dome. 

  


“Get inside!” He screamed directing as many people as possible inside the dome, then back into the kitchen. 

  


The ground shook and Harry could feel the screech of the massive creature descending in his bones. A red and gold blur flew past high above followed shortly after by a lightning wielding red and silver. Another screech tore through the air echoed by a much quieter comparatively roar and a large green creature crashed through the window of a building a dozen stories up to land on the head of the enormous screeching creature. 

  


Harry threw up a disillusionment charm as a tall dark haired figure wearing green and gold leather armor and a helmet with a huge set of antlers landed just outside the ward line. 

  


“What is this?” He murmured, pressing his hand flat against the dome. “No matter.” 

  


Harry inhaled sharply as the man let his own green magic attack the wards, breaking through half of them easily before coming up short. The man frowned and lifted his scepter. With a sinking feeling in his gut, Harry threw up more wards, hoping to at least slow the man. The moment the tip of the scepter touch the shields Harry felt it begin to slice through like a knife through warm butter. He poured as much magic as he dared into the remaining wards slowing the scepters progress and working to frustrate the man further. 

  


The blue stone in the scepter glower brighter and Harry screamed feeling himself be ripped apart and put back together again and again in the space of a breath. It was unlike anything he’d ever felt, worse than the strongest cruciatus he’d ever been held under. The wards wavered and reformed behind the man as he stepped through them and curiously approached. 

  


“A mortal?” He asked, perplexed as he studied Harry leaned back against the wall panting as echoes of pain rolled through him. “That cannot be.” 

  


Harry peered up at the man through his long bangs, frowning as he met a pair of oddly glowing blue eyes. They reminded him of the Imperious curse in a way, glazed as they were. He carefully twisted his fingers letting his magic rise before crashing over the male and holding him immobile long enough for him to cast Legilimens. 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry is 25 when he actually meets Death for the first time. He's out on a raid capturing some pureblood elitist sympathizers when he heard someone shout his name and turned just in time to take a streak of unforgettable green right to the chest. Peripherally he heard someone, a woman, screaming his name, but what really drew his attention was the soft _tsk_ of the cloaked figure suddenly standing over him, _and when had he fallen?_

  


"When I chose you I thought you'd at least know better than to take another killing curse right to your heart." His voice was soft as a whisper, yet loud as wind rushing through your ears as if falling from a great height. It was the gentle voice of a lover, and the raging scream of an enemy. It was everything at once, and for a moment all Harry could do was stare into the shadowed hood, gasping though from what, he didn't know.

  


The male sighed and straightened from leaning on his hooked wooden staff. "Well hurry along now, your companions are worried." He nudged Harry's shoulder with the staff. "You needn't be so dramatic, if you wanted my attention all you had to do is call, you are, after all, my master."

  


Harry's eyes widened as the pieces fell into place, before he could reply the world slowed before he heard a distinct _snap_ and he was flat on his back, one of his auror teammates leaning over him, shouting over his shoulder.

  


The man above him looked back down and yelped when he saw that Harry was awake, scrambling back a couple feet and staring at him wide eyed. "You-you w-were d-d-dead."

  


Harry winced knowing this wasn't going to go over well, and still dazed from the encounter. "N-no, just a stun." He levered himself into a sitting position, giving it a moment before getting clumsily to his feet.

  
  


It hadn't been easy to talk his way around the incident, but in the end he'd managed to convince everyone he'd just been hit with and overpowered stunner.

  


Kicking the door shut behind him, Harry shuffled over to fall face first down onto the couch, once again thankful for the spell that had fixed his eyes a few years ago. He lazily flicked his fingers and his shoes slipped off and walked themselves back to the door, sitting neatly on the mat. He jolted up a second later and jerked around to stare at his shoes. He hadn't been able to do that before...had he? A handful of recent memories rose to the surface of little things he'd done without realizing it.

  


The man from earlier drifted to the forefront, his words echoing. _"if you wanted my attention all you had to do is call, you are, after all, my master."_ It couldn't really be...could it? He stared unseeing at the space in the middle of his living room. It didn't make sense...he'd snapped the elder wand and thrown it away before he'd left Hogwarts, not to mention the stone he'd left in the Forbidden Forest. The only hallow he still had was the cloak and he hadn't touched it in over a year. But if the man was correct...well it was probably worth investigating.

  


He took a deep breath and trying to ignore how much of an idiot he must look, called softly. "Death? I-I have some questions..."

  


Nothing. Harry sighed and slumped back into the couch. The shadows in the room writhed, stretching far out into the center of the room before receding to reveal the cloaked man from before. Even knowing who it was Harry flinched back with a shout.

  


"Why are you so surprised to see me? You called." The man asked, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

  


Harry opened his mouth then paused and closed it again, questions racing through his mind at the man's appearance.

  


While he tried to order his thoughts, the man conjured a simple black wooden chair with a dull grey cushion and settled into it, his staff growing roots beside it and standing tall even as the man let go of it. Harry's eyes fixed on the staff staring at it blankly.

  


"You said you had questions?" The man prompted, drawing Harry's gaze.

  


"Huh? Yes! What happened earlier? That was the killing curse wasn't it? How did I survive? Who are you? What did you mean by master? Is this related to the Hallows? I got rid of them a long time ago." The man stopped the onslaught of questions by raising a hand.

  


"Pardon me if I don't answer all of those in order." He paused, reaching up to slide his hood back. His skin was pale like he'd never seen the sun, and his hair hung pin straight down over his left shoulder tied with a red ribbon in a simple tail. Grey eyes so dark they appeared black settled on Harry, making a shiver run down his back. "I think you've figured out who I am Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter nee Evans."

  


Harry nodded, swallowing thickly. "D-Death."

  


He nodded, a smile tinged with sadness twisting his lips. "I have many names, though my favorite is Osiris. Not exactly right, but the Egyptians did come up with some good names." His smile shifted into a hint of a grin. "As for my Hallows, yes you left the physical objects behind, however as you well know, magic doesn't always behave as we predict."

  


Harry could feel the tremor begin in his hands and he fisted his hands into the cushion on the couch in denial. Sure magic was often unpredictable but that didn't mean...well he wasn't sure what, but this couldn't be true. He'd finally left all the crazy behind and settled down as a normal dark wizard hunting auror. No fighting for his life every year against a dark lord, or wild chases across the country looking for some unknown object.

  


Ok so maybe that wasn't entirely true now that he thought about it, but it still held that this hallow's business was too crazy for him to accept. This man, Death or Osiris? Whatever his name, must be wrong.

  


Osiris rolled his eyes, muttering something about mortals being stubborn. "You can see me, can you not? Hear me speaking? Feel my magic?" To prove his point he released a wave a frigid velvety magic to brush against Harry's own wild magic, making the boy shiver. "The hallows only brought you into my spotlight, I chose you. A choice I'm afraid I'm unwilling to reverse, regardless of your excuses." He added, giving Harry a pointed look, causing the male to close his mouth.

  


"Now, where were we? You may call me Osiris for now, master." He shot the boy a smirk. "You were hit at precisely 2:46pm with the killing curse this afternoon. You survived because that is your job as the Master of Death. To live and oversee." He held Harry's eyes for a long minute before standing up and grabbing ahold of his staff. The roots slithered back into the wood and the chair dissolved into smoke. "If that's all, I've quite a few things to do this evening. Sleep well." With a cheerful wave of his hand Osiris melted back into the shadows leaving Harry alone in the dimly lit living room.


	3. Chapter 3

Organized chaos was the first thing that came to mind once he'd slipped through the man's mental shields. The shields themselves had already taken a beating it seemed, as they closely resembled what was left in the frame of a shattered window, all jagged edges. There was little to no resistance, which was a bit odd as even most muggles had some form of shield, though whether it held up was a whole other story.

  


It was set up like a library, similar to Hermione’s, but with considerably _more_. Dark oak shelves reached far beyond his line of sight holding all manner of books, scrolls, and what appeared to be tapestries, rolled for safe keeping. a pair of tall backed ornate green and gold chairs were situated around an enormous gilded fireplace, unlit, and a few small tables were scattered about, some with a slightly less ornate chair beside them. Ordinarily it probably would seem quite awe-inspiring, however in the moment it resembled a library that a tornado had gone through. A very violent _blue_ tornado

  


Harry tilted his head slightly to the side as his vision focused on the blue energy circulating around the space counter-clockwise. He reached out and brushed his fingertips through it, instantly being bombarded with images and noise all going to quickly to really absorb. One voice however rang out clearly over it all, the scratchy baritone of a man, pleading for relief, and screaming in anguish.

  


Following the energy lead him back to a corner, lit only by a single candelabra, three of it's five candles burnt out. The remaining two candles flickered dangerously. Dried wax pooled on the floor around it's base drawing Harry's eye to the long pale fingers half curled beside it. Following the equally pale arm up he found a considerably more lifeless version of the man curled on the floor, muscles clenched in agony and his eyes squeezed tightly closed. The blue energy pressed him down against the cold stone floor like gravity, and periodically his muscles would spasm as if he'd been shocked.

  


It took but a thought for Harry's magic to rise, fierce and bright, scorching in the frozen tundra the space had become as blue energy rose to challenge him. Harry made no motion and uttered no sound, but like a switch had been flipped his magic shot forward piercing the blue fog like a dagger, pushing deeper and deeper until it reached the man. It surrounded him, seeping into his skin, bringing with it pure unaltered _life_. The man's mouth opened in a silent scream, and Harry's magic condensed into a tiny speck before exploding outward chasing the blue energy through the room until it was cornered then compacting it down into a dense sphere, bluer than the deepest oceans.

  


Harry held the sphere in his palm, twisting it this way and that before shrugging and letting it slip through his fingers to shatter on the stone floor. The moment it did the man's screams split the air and Harry knelt down, pressing the back of his fingers against the man's forehead.

  


"Breathe, everything is alright now my friend." He whispered, staying a moment longer before straightening and cancelling the spell.

  


* * *

The man was gasping in front of him, Harry's magic still holding him partially immobile on the sidewalk. Everything around them came crashing into focus and Harry jolted as another of those...things flew by outside the dome. A flick of his fingers had the man relocated once more outside the dome, his scepter now covered in a thin film of Harry's magic, shielding the man, and everyone else, from it's effects.

  


Harry's saw the man's eyebrows pull together in confusion over bright green eyes, and his lips form around words he couldn't hear. Harry shook his head once. "Fix this, whatever is happening, help end it." He let his magic carry his words to the man before ducking back inside the shop to check that nobody was hurt.

  


* * *

  


Loki turned in a daze, his eyes drifting over the scene taking in the destruction and chaos. This wasn't right, he'd never wanted this, sure he might be the god of chaos, but mischief and violence were two very different things. It wasn't a conscious choice to teleport up to the large balcony on Stark tower, he'd simply found himself standing there looking out over the city as explosions rocked the air. A silver and red shape shot towards him, and Thor's hand was suddenly clamped in the crook of his neck holding him still.

  


"Stop this madness Loki!" Thor said, staring imploringly into Loki's overwhelmed green eyes.

  


Loki opened his mouth then closed it again when he realized he had no idea how to respond to that. He'd never wanted this, never intended it to happen and yet here he was, the puppet master pulling the strings. But no...that wasn't quite right was it? Memories flew past him, darkness tugging on his mind endlessly until it was replaced with sharp pain and a deep laugh. _'Pathetic. I thought you were a god Loki Odinson, maybe I was wrong.'_ Tears stung at the back of Loki's eyes but he pushed them back, refusing to fall apart so publicly.

  


"Brother?" Thor's voice was hesitant, and so painfully hopeful.

  


A nearby explosion shook the building, startling them back to reality and Loki forced his eyes open, staring down at the scepter still clenched in his fist. One by one he let his fingers relax until it clattered to his feet, he staggered and would have fallen if not for Thor's hold on him. "I'm sorry" He whispered, chanting it like a mantra as he once more looked out over the city.

  


Thor pulled him into a bone crushing hug, shouting words Loki couldn't concentrate enough to hear. He pulled back a moment later staring at Loki but not seeing as if listening to something, then picked up the scepter lifted Mjölnir, flying up to the roof and leaving Loki shaking on the balcony.

  


A swarm of Chitauri flew by and the green eyed boy's words roared in his ears. _'Fix this, whatever is happening, help end it.'_ He had brought this hadn't he? Loath as he was to admit it, he was at least partially to blame for the situation. Though he refused to acknowledge it, some part of him deep, _deep_ down felt guilty.

  


Another swarm flew by and Loki lifted his hand, twisting his fingers, letting his magic burst forward in a flash of green and destroy the creatures. He did it again, and again and again destroying any of the creatures that came within his reach, letting his pent up anger at not only himself but his captor drive him until he was left hollow and exhausted.

  


Above him a red and gold streak flew a bomb into a hole in space-time. On the roof a fire-haired woman shoved a scepter into the machine powering the portal. A minute later the red and gold figure fell from the sky, his descent slowed dramatically by a disk of green energy, unmistakable in it's wielder, to those who'd seen it. Far below on the streets of New York a group of mismatched heroes stared at each other, realizing the implications of the radiant green disk gently lowering their comrade to the ground at their feet, and tugging the helmet free of his body ever so carefully. High above on the balcony of Stark tower a green eyed god finally collapsed to the ground. His arms coming up to hug himself in a rare moment of vulnerability, as he wondered what fate his future held.


	4. Chapter 4

Loki hadn't been having the best day. Once the commotion of battle had died down and everyone was left to dig their way out of the wreckage, he'd been hauled to his feet and locked in one of the still intact rooms by Stark. He’d left with a clearly bewildered expression and a short _'stay here till we figure out what to do with you'_. That had been nearly twelve hours ago. Loki's thoughts had drifted back to the boy who'd inexplicably freed him, apparently without even knowing anything about him.

  


Hours he'd spent now, deliberating on just who the boy was. Because one thing was clear: he was no ordinary mortal. Loki had begun, in the deepest part of his mind, to wonder if the boy even _was_ mortal. He'd looked so typically human it made Loki's skin crawl, but those eyes...those were not the eyes of a boy barely twenty. His was the gaze of a creature centuries old who'd seen many a battle. 

  


On a boy.

  


Who appeared no older than twenty summers.

  


It perplexed Loki. He briefly wondered if the boy was a shapeshifter like himself, but even that didn't quite seem to fit. Something about the boy's magic, and wasn't that a shock in itself! A human (possibly) with magic! Intoxicating, untamed magic...he'd never felt such bone deep contentment, humming with life, as he had when the boy had touched him. That brief space of time, no longer than a minute had very nearly been his undoing.

  


In hindsight it was probably best they'd only been in physical contact for under a minute, it was terrifying to think what affect any longer would have on the emerald eyed god of chaos.

  


The door opened to reveal Stark, dressed in a pair of worn blue jeans and a t-shirt with the words _Black Sabbath_ , the reference was lost on the god. He raised his gaze to meet the man's, not giving anything away.

  


"Green." Stark said abruptly, stumbling back a step, eyes going wide. "Your eyes are green. Not blue."

  


Loki's brows drew together slightly. "Yes? They have always been green." He said slowly, like he was talking to a small child.

  


"Red!" Stark called shakily over his shoulder, not moving his gaze from Loki's figure, slumped on the floor, back against the floor to ceiling window. The red-headed woman from the ship appeared soundlessly in the doorway, his weary gaze locked on the god.

  


"Clint's eyes, what color were they before you snapped him out of it?" His voice had gone shaky, like he'd figured something out he'd have rather not known.

  


The redhead's gaze sharpened and she focused on Loki's eyes. "Blue."

  


"Son of a bitch." Stark muttered before turning and running back down the hall. Loki's gaze shifted to the black widow and was slightly taken aback to see a gleam of what could possibly have been sympathy before she too, turned and stalked silently down the hall. He noted absently that neither had closed the door.

  
  


* * *

Harry had spent the remainder of the battle reinforcing his wards and breezing through the cafe's kitchen, letting healing magic roll off him subtly to calm those around him. They'd waited for a while after things had gone silent before Harry slowly dropped his wards and everyone ventured out into the ruins of the street. Cars were abandoned all over the roads and sidewalks, some smashed, others half buried in rubble. Survivors stumbled through it all, wide eyed in shock. Sirens could be heard in the distance and Harry let a tendril of magic work it's way down the street, clearing things as best he could without raising attention.

  


"Harry? Harry!" Mia's panicked voice reached him just as she launched herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she sobbed into his shoulder. Seth wasn't far behind her, his eyes wide as he stumbled towards them.

  


"Are you ok? Are either of you hurt?" Harry asked seriously, fixing his gaze on Seth.

  


The teen slowly shook his head a beat later, slightly delayed as he gazed at the destruction surrounding them. Mia didn't answer. Harry sighed, keeping one arm around her back as he half turned, noting the approach of emergency vehicles.

  


"Come on, you both need to be checked out." Harry snagged Seth's sleeve and tugged him towards the ambulance parked nearby, Mia still attached to his torso.

  


It took a while, with the sheer volume of people needing help, for Seth and Mia to be finished, but once they were Harry led them back into the cafe, sitting them down on one of the couches and snagging a bar of chocolate from one of the displays on the counter. He sat on the coffee table, absently unwrapping it and breaking it into three pieces before handing one to each of the teenagers.

  


"Eat."

  


They did, both lost in their own minds. Harry sighed as he nibbled at his own piece. He knew they'd likely have to shut the cafe down for the time being, most of the city probably would be until it was more cleaned up. He hoped Celeste was alright, as well as Seth and Mia's families.

  


The minutes ticked by as Harry planned what to do next. He knew the general vicinity the teens lived in, both within a few blocks of each other and not too far. First he'd drop them off at home. Once assured their families were alright, then he'd head over to Celeste's apartment to check on her. Once everything was done he'd try and help in the clean up efforts a bit. With a nod to himself, he stood up, drawing the gazes of the teens across from him.

  


"I want you to gather your things so I can take you both home. Alright?" He kept his voice calm, knowing they were barely holding themselves together as it was. They nodded silently and walked into the backroom, reappearing moments later each donning a thin jacket and bag of some kind.

  


They set off, no one speaking as they picked their way through chunks of pavement and smashed cars, ducking under precariously perched streetlights. Before too long they'd made it to the steps of the building Mia lived in with her parents and little sister. Seth waited outside while Harry followed her up to the third floor, noting that the building hadn't been in the main danger zones of the attack.

  


She pushed open the door, immediately rushing to where her family sat huddled together on the couch, the TV going softly in the background. Assured everyone was alright, Harry slipped away, pulling the door shut behind him and rejoining Seth outside.

  


Seth's building looked slightly less ok, missing some things on the roof and a bit of the gutters, but nothing too bad. His uncle greeted them at the door, relief flooding his features as he looked his nephew over then nodded to Harry. Seth quietly thanked him before slipping inside and disappearing.

  


The trip to Celeste's apartment was much easier as Harry simply found a shadowed corner and disapparated to an alley around the corner from her building. The street was nearly destroyed, and a glance around showed the buildings in the area to be in much the same state. His heart clenched painfully as he ran through the broken doors and up the stairs, leaping over debris as he went.

  


The door was ripped clean off it's hinges and when Harry got to the doorframe his fingers tightened on the wood, refusing to let himself fall. Only a foot or two remained of the wood flooring to her entryway, the rest was simply gone. An entire section of the building lay below, a pile of concrete and wood all that remained. He took a deep breath, then another before flaring his magic and searching for the familiar spark of warmth.

  


"Harry, right?" A elderly woman's voice drew his attention and he slowly looked over his shoulder. She was standing across the landing, peeking out of her door. "I'm so sorry child." Her voice was soft as she shuffled further into the hall towards him. "Celeste didn't make it. We were trying to get to the basement when the building shook, she went back to help one of the neighbors." She paused to gather herself. "The ceiling cracked and she pushed him out of the way but couldn't get herself out fast enough. I'm so sorry."

  


Harry nodded, turning back to look at the pile of rubble below. He'd seen so much death in his long life he could nearly picture it down to the cracks in the cement, could imagine her laying there, motionless in death. He swallowed thickly and a moment later flickered out of sight, reappearing in his apartment to collapse on the bed. It was natural, death, he knew that. Hell, he probably knew that better than anyone else, and yet it still hurt so deeply to have those you cared for ripped away from you suddenly.

  


He wasn't sure how long he laid there before the shadows stretched out, depositing a cloaked figure with a crooked staff before receding once more. Osiris left his staff to stand guard over the room and perched on the edge of the bed, pulling his distraught master into his arms. He rested his chin on Harry's head and hummed softly late into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a week before they heard anything from Asgard. Loki had spent much of the time curled by the window staring down at the street below, he could just make out the front of the cafe outside of which he'd been freed. The Avengers had disppersed throughout the tower when they weren't out helping the relief efforts. At first Loki had joined them, but after an unfortunate instance of being recognized by a civilian they'd elected him to keep watch over the tower. In other words he was on house arrest. To be honest he hadn't expected more but it still stung to a degree.

  


"Brother." Thor said. "Might I ask you something?" He seemed unusually serious. It made Loki curious and he looked up at the man.

  


Thor took that as a yes and settled onto the chair across the small table from Loki's, sitting forward with his elbows on the table. "How did you rid yourself of this foreign influence, as it seems unlikely you were hit hard enough on the head?"

  


Loki turn to look back down at the street, contemplating his words before answering at a near whisper. "I didn't."

  


Thor brow crinkled in confusion. "Brother?"

  


"A boy rid me of the Tyrant's control." He said quietly, turning back to look Thor in the eye. "I've yet to figure how he did it." It mystified him to no end that he couldn't figure it out. He had almost all the pieces and yet not enough to put them together into a cohesive answer.

  


Neither spoke for a spell, each lost in their own thoughts. A soft chime broke Thor's focus and he looked away from the window watching curiously as the air shifted and the ghostly outline of a figure slowly faded into being. With a start he sat up, recognizing his mother, Heimdall's hand on her shoulder.

  


"Mother?"

  


Loki looked up sharply, following Thor's gaze and frowning when he saw nothing. "There's no one there."

  


That made Thor frown as he glanced between Loki and Frigga.

  


"He cannot hear or see me Thor. His mind has been shielded against intrusion beyond anything I could hope to bypass. I an unaware how." Frigga's voice was soft but firm.

  


"There is no one stronger than you mother, how is that possible?"

  


"As I said, I am unaware how it was done. But that is not the point of my contacting you. Your father has called for Loki's arrest and an immediate trial upon your arrival home. He has also requested your prompt return."

  


"What are the charges?" Thor asked, confused. "Surely he has been forgiven for sending the destroyer?"

  


Frigga's lips tightened. "He has not said outright what they are, only that you are to return home as soon as possible. With Loki in...custody."

  


Thor opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Frigga glancing back over her shoulder. "I'm afraid my time is up. Travel well my sons." Her image faded quickly. Thor looked across the table to find Loki studying him intently.

  


"A trial then?" His face was an unreadable mask as he turned back to the window, hands clasped loosely on the edge of the table. "I don't imagine it will end in my favor."

  


Thor looked on helplessly wishing he could say differently.

  


With a sigh Loki straightened up. "Before we leave I ask only one thing, allow me a final visit to the boy." He didn't need to specify of which boy he referred to.

  


Thor nodded solemnly and stood, following Loki towards the elevator. He did not have a good feeling about returning home. Recently his father had seemed to behave oddly in regards to Loki, Thor was not a fan of the change.

  


They rode the elevator down to the main floor, Loki letting his magic wash down his form and change the relaxed Asgardian clothing he'd worn into a black suit, his hair pulling itself back into a half up-do and a pair of fake glasses settling over his eyes. Once they'd reached the lobby they walked silently out to the street, each noting the lack of passers by usually inhabiting the stretch of road.

  


The cafe was dark when they approached, but a thin sliver of light shown under the door that presumably led to the kitchen. Loki send out a calm pulse of his magic to announce their arrival, moments later feeling a tinge of magic responding. The door in the back cracked open to reveal one brilliant green eye and a tail of black hair hanging over one shoulder.

  


The figure slowly pushed the door further open and walked around the bar, each step measured and precise. The lock clicked open as the male came to a stop in front of the counter. Thor's eyebrow rose at the display of magic from a mortal and pushed open the door. The soft chime of the bell was the only sound as the door fell shut behind them.

  


Green eyes observed the pair, unreadable, as they cautiously approached. "Can I help you gentlemen?” His tone was mild, giving nothing away, which was almost as unnerving as the muted glow in his irises.

  


Thor glanced at Loki who seemed oddly transfixed by the male, clearly he wouldn't be speaking first. "I am Thor of Asgard, this is my brother Loki of Jotunheim."

  


"It's a pleasure to meet you, Thor and Loki. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit this afternoon?" Neither missed the lack of name offered.

  


Thor looked back to Loki having no real idea what to say to that. Loki had a glint in his eye Thor knew well, he was intrigued by the mortal. Honestly, he should have expected nothing less once he'd realized the boy had magic of a kind. Which in itself was quite a perplexing thought, he'd been unaware Midgard hosted sorcerers.

  


"How did you do it?" Loki as, curiosity burning in his gaze.

  


Green eyes focused on the god, a knowing glint in them. “I’m unclear as to what you are referring."

  


Thor frowned, leaning closer to Loki. "Are you certain this is the one?"

  


Loki gave him the look that question deserved and Thor shrugged, looking away. "How did you break his control?"

  


The boy tilted his head slightly, genuine confusion clouding his expression. "Who's control?"

  


Loki narrowed his eyes at the boy, unsure whether he was lying or not. It was admittedly a first as the god was exceptional at telling lies from truth, a skill inherent to the god of lies. "The Mad Titan."

  


The title evoked a reaction from Thor, but Loki focused intently on the boy noting once more genuine confusion. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar..." He straightened up. "If that's all I've quite a bit yet to finish."

  


Thor glanced at Loki yet again, worry shining clearly before nodding to the boy. "Yes of course, we thank you for your time." He walked back to the door, holding it open for Loki who hadn't moved.

  


Before leaving Loki conjured a scrap of fabric between his fingers, artfully keeping it hidden from sight as he imprinted the boy's magical signature into it. With a sharp nod to the boy he turned and prowled back onto the street.

  
  


* * *

  


As soon as they'd left Harry returned to the kitchen, finishing up cleaning and emptying out the food storage of perishables. He stocked nearly everything into the kitchen of his tent under preservations charms in preparation to leave. With that done he returned upstairs, where a wave of his hand had his few belongings packing themselves away and returning to the tent. He glance around then canceled the expansion charms and locked the door behind him with a twist of fingers.

  


He wasn't certain where he was going, but he knew he couldn't stay there any longer, if only because eventually someone would come knocking in regards to the legal affairs. He didn't need to be around for that. His fabricated credentials likely wouldn't hold up to anything more than a quick glance.

  


Harry took one final look around the cafe, taking in every detail before disapparating.

  


He never saw the pair of gods watching from across the street.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry had apparated from the cafe to a corner of the park he knew to be nearly void of people. A deep breath later and he closed his eyes, easily calling the shadows to him and letting himself drift aimlessly.

  


The first time he'd traveled by shadow had been disconcerting to say the least, and it certainly wasn't like any form of travel he was familiar with. He could only compare it to falling backwards and landing on a soft bed, but the moment of free-fall was more subdued. Osiris had snickered at him when he'd arrived at his destination flat on his back, arms crossed over his chest like he was dead. Harry had come a long way since then, easily adapting, now able to appear as silently and gracefully as Osiris could.

  


The other unusual thing about it was that he didn't need to visualize exactly where he was going, he could pass freely through the world seeing everywhere at once in but a glimpse. He _knew_ which corners of buildings, bustling roads and mountain peaks were free of onlookers. Instinctively he could find somewhere to melt into being unnoticed until he wished to be. It had come in handy more than once, even if it did take him a few years to really master.

  


He appeared in a shadowed hall of the British Library in London, his unassuming leather messenger bag slung across his body. As he wandered off into the science section he looked like any other university student, nobody looked at him twice.

  
  
  


Harry spent a few days reacquainting himself with London, finding a room to rent in a flat with a pair of students studying art at the Royal College of Art. It wasn't a huge space, just a three bedroom, one bath, open kitchen living room floor plan on the top floor of an older building. He'd found a flyer in a shop advertising the room for rent with a note about the living room being a painting studio. Harry hadn't minded the thought, and upon seeing the place decided it had a charm all it's own. It clearly reflected the pair, both in their early twenties. Olivia was the more manic of the two always running here and there, a paintbrush stuck though her bun or between her teeth. Gavin on the other hand would lose his head if it wasn't attached. He was a photographer and Harry rarely saw him without his vintage camera around his neck.

  


They'd quickly warmed to him, welcoming him into the household without probing about his past. When they'd found out he was looking for a job they'd hooked him up with the manager of an art shop down the street they frequented. His first day was in two weeks, and to be honest he wasn't exactly sure how he'd been hired. They'd brought him to the shop on a dreary Thursday afternoon two days after he moved in claiming he needed to see the area. Twenty minutes after entering the little shop they'd left, a bag in both their hands and a folded slip of paper with his new schedule folded in Harry's pocket.

  
  


The almost undetectable drop in temperature in the room was the only indication of Osiris' arrival. Harry spun in his office chair, curious as Osiris rarely visited without a reason, or advanced planning. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the man's expression, somewhere between anxious and determined.

  


"What's going on?" Harry voiced cautiously.

  


"There was a trial." This made Harry even more curious as he knew Osiris rarely if ever interfered in the world of the living, it must be important. "I believe it to be of the utmost importance we attend."

  


Harry parsed his words carefully, long used to being told only half the truth. Though it was rare for Osiris to do it. "Was?"

  


"A mistake was made that weighs too heavily on the scales of fate."

  


"Whose trial was it?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.

  


Osiris scrutinized him for a long silent moment before answering. "Loki Laufeyson, of Asgard."

  


"What was his crime?" Harry asked, wondering if it went beyond what he'd done in New York while under someone else's control.

  


"It was not publicly announced."

  


"You think something will happen?" Harry asked, knowing it was the only reason Osiris had brought it to his attention. "Who's residing over the trial?"

  


Orisis's grip tightened fractionally on his staff, the wood darkening around his hand. "Odin. He has made many poor choices when it came to Loki's upbringing, choices that came around once more recently resulting in this entire situation. I believe he will attempt to remedy the situation with this trial. Permanently."

  


Suddenly his presence made much more sense. Death refused to take someone before their time, regardless of when that time might be. If Odin had Loki killed it would create a problem for Osiris as he would be forced to collect the man's soul before his time, thus throwing off the balance that had already been becoming increasingly unsteady. With a nod he stood scribbling a quick note to Olivia and Gavin, leaving it on the counter in the kitchen. A wave of his hand had his jeans and t-shirt switched out with a pair of black dress pants, black button up the sleeves rolled to his elbows and his blood red cloak open over the top.

  


Osiris looked him over with a critical eye then nodded and held out his staff, waiting until Harry had gripped it tightly to call the shadows up around them.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The moment they'd landed guards had taken Loki into chains and practically dragged him into the palace throne room. Thor followed behind loudly protesting the treatment of his brother. They ignored him, pushing Loki to his knees on the floor in front of the elaborate golden throne Odin inhabited.

  


Loki clenched his teeth against the pain of his magic being crushed down, bound by the chains around his body. His gaze flicked across Odin's face before landing on his mother's. Loki could read her well enough to know she didn't approve of his treatment, her body language was practically screaming it to any who were looking.

  


Unnoticed to those in the chamber, the shadows of a gleaming gold pillar thickened allowing Osiris and Harry to remain cloaked in them as they observed to proceedings.

  


"What madness is this father?" Thor boomed, standing beside Loki scowling at Odin.

  


Predictably Odin ignored him, merely looking down his nose at Loki, a hint of a sneer twisting his lips. "You are charged with treason of the highest level, violent invasion of another world, attempted enslavement of said world, murder, various other war crimes, and conspiring with enemies of the state. How do you plead?"

  


Loki could only gape, a rare occurrence, though one replicated by every single person in the room. He opened and closed his mouth a few times unable to force any words past his lips at the lengthy list of accusations.

  


"Father?" Thor was the first to manage words, his voice little better than a horrified croak.

  


"Be silent Thor." Odin said sharply, his gaze never leaving Loki. "How do you plead?"

  


Frigga's mind was racing, trying to find a way to circumvent the charges she knew to be false on at least most counts. A shifting of shadows off to the side made her inhale sharply and her eyes went wide. It couldn't be. He'd not been seen gracing the halls of Asgard since before Odin was a child, and for him to appear now bode only ill tidings.

  


"By the Norns have mercy." She whispered under her breath, taking a step to the side away from Odin as she locked with a pair of brilliant luminous green eyes, making her stand on the trial clear.

  


The figure tilted his head slightly glancing between her and Odin the nodded once.

  


The interaction passed unnoticed by all but Loki, and he refused to look away from Odin lest he do something. A voice in the back of his mind raged that even if Odin did something, he was powerless to stop him in his current chained state.

  


"I take your silence as guilty." Odin said, slamming Gungnir down on the floor. The sound echoed around the hall ominously making a shiver run down Loki's spine. "As punishment for your crimes I sentence you to death. You will have no funeral, your body left to scavengers." He slammed Gungnir down once more but it stopped before hitting the floor as if held in place by some unseen shield.

  


"That was not a trial, fair or otherwise." A calm voice drifted through the hall, the source unseen. Odin's eyes went wide in rage and he stood abruptly, Gungnir still immobile in the air.

  


"Who dares interrupt a war trial? Show yourself stranger!" Odin yelled, scanning the hall for the perpetrator.

  


The world seemed to hold it's breath as the soft clicking of boots on tile announced the speaker, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room, including the bound Loki on his knees.

  


The shadows melted away as a tall slender figure walked sedately, as if he'd appeared from thin air, towards the front of the hall. His hands were tucked into the deep pockets of his cloak, and his long black hair was pulled back into an untidy bun as if pulled back absently to keep it out of his face. Following silently behind him was a black cloaked figure holding a crooked staff.

  


Harry could easily see the desperate struggle of Loki's magic against the chains binding him, and reached out, brushing his fingertips along the chain as he passed, not looking back as it shattered around the god, crumbling to dust before it hit the floor.

  


Loki inhaled deeply, collapsing forward onto his elbows as he magic swam up to comfort him, his leather armor appearing over his clothing instinctively. Thor was instantly kneeling beside him, a hand on his back supportively. Loki didn't shake him off, too preoccupied with the shock of the boy's appearance. He'd recognize the boy anywhere, even without the wild tinge of magic permeating the hall.

  


Harry didn't stop until he was a mere foot away from Odin, standing even on the same stair. Without looking he reached out a hand and settled it on Gungnir's shaft. In response the staff hummed contently as the shaft settled soundlessly on the floor. Harry turned back to Odin, his gaze cold as ice. "Odin Borson you cross a line."

  


Odin's glare darkened impossibly and he clenched his teeth together, spitting out his words. "I am the Allfather, you hold no authority here stranger."

  


Harry seemed unbothered as he looked back to Gungnir, silently conversing with the staff for a few minutes. "I think you'll find I hold more authority over any point in this universe than you could ever hope to have, Odin Borson."

  


Loki nearly choked at the proclamation, said so calm and matter-of-factly that he couldn't help but believe it. In a distant part of his mind he registered that the boy spoke near perfect Asgardian, the lilt of a barely there accent the only thing to give away his status as a foreign speaker.

  


"You dare?" Odin could hardly believe the nerve of this... _boy_ before him. "Guards! Arrest this intruder!"

  


Nobody moved. Odin growled and made as if to strike Harry himself but found his body frozen where he stood.

  


"It is unwise to attack that which you do not understand Allfather." Harry said, his voice low and dangerous. Then he turned, nodding briefly to Frigga who had her head bowed respectfully, fully aware of who this individual was and the title he held. "Osiris?"

  


The until then silent unmoving figure approached, coming to a stop beside his master. "Yes?"

  


"What have you seen?" Harry asked curiously, he'd felt the slight shift in the air moment before signaling Osiris had looked forwards at the paths available.

  


"I will not collect this poor soul on this day." Osiris spoke measuredly, his voice just loud enough to reach everyone in the hall. "He has not yet finished his journey."

  


The words would be innocuous to anyone else, but Harry could pick up on the message beneath. He nodded and looked back to Odin. "Loki will not step foot in this city again, and you Allfather," the word was spoken with a mocking edge. "Will not step foot again in any world Loki chooses reside in. You will neither hear nor see each other from now on, it will be as if neither exists to the other. Frigga is of course exempt from this punishment and may visit either as she wishes." Harry looked back at Odin. "Have you protest of this arrangement I invite you to speak now, though I would be wary of your audience."

  


Odin wanted to rage and scream, his eyes burning with hate as he glared at the boy. "Who are you _boy_?"

  


For the first time since his arrival Harry smiled. "Harry, my name is Harry." With that he released his hold on the man and turned away, breezing past the two knelt on the floor with a silent nod of acknowledgment. When Osiris reached him they melted away into shadow, only a soft voice drifting through the hall remaining.

  


"Loki you have but to envision where you'd like to go and you will be there. You have until sunset to gather your belongings."As an afterthought the voice added. "Any traveling companions need only be in contact with you at that moment."

  


The hall was silent as the last echos of the words faded. Frigga was crying silent tears of thanks, while Odin was enraged to see he could no longer sense Loki's presence. Thor and Loki simply sat dumbfounded on the floor of the hall trying to figure out who the boy _was_.

  


* * *

  


At sunset Loki stood on the balcony of his mother's rooms, Thor a stubborn companion at his side, and a bag holding most of his belongings on his shoulder. The rest of his things were safely tucked away in his pocket dimension. His mother gave them one last smile, warmth filling them as Thor grabbed hold of his shoulder. The world slowly melted away until they were once more standing on the street in New York City.

  


Silently they watched as the boy they'd seen, hours before holding his own against the Allfather, flickered out of sight in a darkened cafe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the wonderful comments, I really appreciate them!

With a hefty dose of confusion and no real other ideas, Loki had followed Thor back into the tower. The confusion grew as they were informed they'd left only hours ago. One game of twenty questions later Stark had led them to what he dubbed 'their floor', which at the moment was moderately in shambles but Stark promised the whole tower would be up to snuff within a couple weeks if he had anything to say about it.

  


As a whole the 'Avengers' accepted Loki's presence with seemingly little to no care. The spy twins spent most of their time going back and forth between the tower and SHIELD, while the man-out-of-time helped with the clean up almost manically. Loki didn't blame him, if he didn't have his own puzzle to solve he'd have been going stir crazy as well.

  


Stark immersed himself in repairs and redesigning the tower, and the lovely Ms. Potts focused on Stark's company. Thor left shortly after they'd arrived to find his beloved, leaving Loki by himself to unwind the mess in his head. He mostly ignored that in favor of contemplating the boy, _Harry,_ he'd called himself.

  


While he'd been able to project his magic enough to know the boy was still on Midgard, that's about all he'd been able to find. Every time he thought he'd pinpointed the boy’s magical signature, it jumped nearly halfway around the world before shooting around like a ping-pong ball and he'd have to start all over again. It was exhausting, and after nearly a month at it he reluctantly gave up to attempt a different method.

  


Loki sat calmly looking out at the city on what Stark called the 'communal floor'. He'd been mentally compiling a list of every spell he knew that might help him locate, see, or travel to a person. It wasn't long.

  


"Reindeer games," Stark called, leaning on the bar top on the other side of the room. "Jarvis said you've been plotting. Not trying to take over the city again are ya? Cause I've gotta say we're a pretty kick-ass team. You wouldn't make it five feet out the door."

  


Loki rolled his eyes, having become much more used to Stark's antics since arriving back on Midgard. "That is not what I am considering. I've moved on from such pursuits"

  


Stark raised one eyebrow. "Oh? What _pursuits_ have you moved to?"

  


The silence stretched on as Loki weighed the pros and cons of confiding in the man. With an irritated sigh he closed his eyes. "There is an individual I'm attempting to locate. It is proving...difficult."

  


"Who?" Stark poured himself a drink, siping it casually. "Not some evil bad guy I hope."

  


Loki pressed his lips together, his irritation growing. "No. He is a...human I crossed paths with during the- attack."

  


"Human? Got a description? I bet he'd show up on camera somewhere. Jarvis start pulling camera footage, we're looking for a boy..." Stark looked at him expectantly.

  


Resigned to the situation Loki gave a detailed description of the boy.

  


"Sir I believe I have found a bit of footage of the individual." Jarvis said as a holoscreen appeared in the center of the room. The clip showed a dark haired, green eyed figure exiting the cafe across the street, his hands buried in his pockets as he moved unhurried down the street.

  


"Was this before the invasion?" Stark asked, curiously approaching the screen.

  


"This was taken three days before."

  


Without looking at him Stark gestured to the screen. "That him?

  


Loki stared at the clip, transfixed. "Yes."

  


"Jarvis track him down will ya?"

  


"Right away sir."

  
  
  


Five days. Five maddeningly long days and Stark's super-computer still hadn't found the boy. Loki was going mad. In a world where SHEILD existed how hard was it to find one boy?

  


”Mr. Laufeyson, I have located the individual."

  


Loki shot to his feet. "Where is he?"

  


"Currently he is in London, four blocks from the Royal College of Art with a female, and male, both early twenties."

  


"Show me."

  


A holoscreen appeared before him and he watched the trio wander down the sidewalk. The male to Harry's left was tall and lanky, his blond curly hair pulled back into a bushy tail. The girl was a full head shorter than Harry, long mahogany hair pulled back into which was likely at one point a neat bun. She had a pencil behind one ear and another in her hand as she scribbled away in a sketchbook. Harry's hand hovered by her, occasionally tugging her out of the path of someone or steering her around obstacles, while he conversed with the male.

  


A part of him wanted to transport himself right to Harry that minute, demanding answers and an explanation. The larger part of him knew that was a foolish, very _Thor_ thing to do and scoffed at the mere thought. No, he would watch the boy before approaching, learning everything he could.

  


"Can you keep me informed of his location?" It was still odd talking to a bodiless entity.

  


"Of course Mr.Laufeyson."

  


With the most pressing problem solved, Loki settled into his favorite chair, an ornate gold and green one he'd taken from his rooms in Asgard, and pulled a stack of books form his pocket dimension. He had organized all those he could find in his library referring to Death into an easy to access pile weeks before. Pulling the top one off the stack he settled in to read.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry and Osiris faded into being in the middle of Harry's room exactly 24 hours after they'd left.

  


"Have we avoided total dimensional collapse?" Harry asked casually as he laid back on the bed, ankles crossed and fingers knit together behind his head. The satisfied smirk on his lips telling Osiris all he needed to know.

  


The grey eyed male rolled his eyes exasperated and lazily waved his staff towards Harry before calling the shadows and disappearing. Meanwhile Harry squawked as a small wrapped package dropped into his face.

  


Harry glared at the space Osiris had occupied before focusing on the package. It fit in the palm of his hand, an oddly shaped thing wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. With a sinking feeling he carefully undid the twine, after all it greatly resembled something he'd not seen since his first trip to Gringotts with Hagrid. He sighed in relief when the paper fell away to reveal a sprig of Holly immortalized in a clear glass orb.

  


Harry stared at it for a long moment before shrugging, he transfiguring the twine into a black leather cord and manipulated the glass of the orb to have a hole just big enough to slip the cord through. Once the ends merged into a single continuous cord he looped it over head, letting it fall beneath his shirt. He had no idea what it meant, but Osiris had never given him something that wasn't of worth somewhere along the way.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Life continued on. It was uneventful for two months before he started getting restless, tired of being in one place so similar to the London he once knew. Two days after the realization he helped Olivia and Gavin put up fliers advertising the room and packed his belongings into his messenger bag. With no real destination in mind he made his way to the library once again and pulled out an atlas. He closed his eyes letting his fingers dance over the page before settling on one spot. Prague. Atlas replaced on the shelf after a quick scan of the information listed about the Czech Republic, Harry wandered into an unmonitored corner and called the shadows, melting out of sight.

  
  
  


Prague was nice, Venice was better, something about the water he thought, but neither held his attention more than a week or two. Kiev proved to be interesting as well, though he only stayed three days before moving on to Moscow, passing through relatively quickly there as well. He lingered in Mumbai longer, leisurely going through the sights unnoticed, Osiris tagging along for some entertainment. A tour through Nepal, where Osiris left after claiming it was too cold for his tastes, and Harry set off on an excursion to Tibet that lasted nearly two months by itself.

  


Harry loitered in Bangkok long enough to pick up a handful of languages, something he'd gotten eerily good at over his life, then began island hopping from the coast of Cambodia, spending days at a time venturing through tiny villages. Singapore fascinated him, and he spent 4 months exploring the bustling city's every nook and cranny. Osiris stopped by occasionally, letting Harry drag him around the markets sharing satay or huddled over bowls of laksa. They wandered through gardens, shopping districts and narrow streets packed with people, lights and sound.

  


Before he knew it just over a year had passed as he wandered into another tiny village somewhere on the main island of Indonesia. Osiris had been called away the week prior so Harry was on his own for the time being. He'd heard rumors of an American doctor being in the vicinity and it made him curious so he'd followed them to this village.

  


" _Excuse me, is the American here?_ " He asked a woman working a stall in the market plaza, exchanging some rupiah coins for a little carton of Rambutan fruit.

  


After accepting the money she nodded gesturing to a little building at the other end of the village.

  


He nodded his thanks and set off, peeling one of the fruit as he went. He could hear a man giving halting instructions in rough Indonesian, repeating himself more than once, within the wooden building, and knocked softly on the doorframe politely. "Might I be of assistance?"

  


A tanned man with soft looking grey-ish brown hair looked up at him from where was was crouched beside a bedroll, confusion and curiosity waring in his brown eyes. "You speak the dialect?"

  


Harry nodded. "Enough. What do you need translated?"

  


The man looked skeptical but rattled off some instructions about the medication he'd given the elderly woman inside, and Harry quickly translated, his tongue only getting caught a couple times on the pronunciation.

  


The woman smiled gratefully at the pair and bid them farewell as they gathered their things and left the small building.

  


"So do you make a habit of knowing uncommon languages or is it a hobby?" The man asked as they wandered down the dirt path.

  


Harry smiled. "Something like that, I guess."

  


The man rose one eyebrow. "You don't seem very convinced of that."

  


"I've been traveling for a while now." He said shrugging and ducking beneath a large green leaf obstructing their path. "What about you? What bring a doctor like yourself out here?"

  


The man chuckled, an edge of nerves just audible as he ran his hand through his fluffy hair. "Just trying to do some good in the world."

  


Harry nodded silently, he was certainly familiar with that. He held the carton of fruit out to the man after grabbing another for himself. "My name's Harry."

  


The man seemed surprised at the offering but took one of the red fruit regardless. "Bruce, Dr. Bruce Banner. It's a pleasure to meet you Harry."

  


Harry smiled warmly and continued on towards the next village.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The two traveled together until they reach Manado, just under three months before going their separate ways. Harry was fairly certain the good doctor had been in New York City over a year ago, and something about his energy seemed slightly off to Harry. The strange feeling had never grown into anything however so he'd left it alone as one of life's great mysteries and simply enjoyed the man's company. He'd learned a great deal about biochemistry in their time together, though he wasn't sure he'd ever use it, he did find it fascinating.

  


After leaving Indonesia, Harry headed north stopping for a week in Manila, and another in Taipei before landing in Seoul. Another 2 weeks passed before he left for Osaka, picking up Osiris along the way when he melted into being in the seat across from Harry on the train between Hiroshima and Osaka.

  


"If I recall correctly you've spent quite a bit of time in Japan previously." Osiris said, his tone carefully neutral as he watched the scenery fly by outside the train window.

  


Harry shrugged. "It was peaceful, and besides" he flicked his gaze up to his companion. "It's different here with no magic societies. The world evolved differently and I like comparing the two. It's not like I have anywhere I need to be anyway."

  


Osiris remained silent and after a few minutes Harry huffed, ignoring the mild disapproval emanating from every line of Osiris' posture. "I suppose you do not."

  


Harry knew he was lying and pushed away the memories of white-blonde hair that were steadily rising to the surface. No, Celeste and Luna were two entirely different, albeit similar people, who'd both done great things in their lives. Everybody died, there was no use dwelling on it. Hell, he'd been alive nearly a millennia now, he thought bitterly. Wasn't he over this yet?

  


Osiris' gaze bore into him and he fought the urge to glare at him. He knew in his head that Osiris had picked him for a reason, one he'd reluctantly agreed with after years to accept it, but that didn't stop the man from feeling the occasional bout of guilt. Harry had tried to tone down the feelings, burying them deep inside himself, but he'd never been able to fully overcome it. Now he settled for simply ignoring it and avoiding letting Osiris see how achingly lonely he really was. At least he didn't wake up gasping with the pain of it anymore.


	9. Chapter 9

Loki had watched him for a month, noting every detail about how the male moved, carried himself, where he went, how long he stayed in one place...Loki knew it all. He also pointedly ignored Stark's sing-song 'creepy' when the Man of Iron had figured out what the god was up to.

  


In that time, Thor had returned to the tower with his beloved and the woman's intern. Loki didn't care much for either of them but the intern, Darcy, wasn't bad in the kitchen. Three days there and she'd taken it upon herself to keep everyone adequately fed, making sure they were ingesting more than pop tarts and take-out.

  


The Captain had been spending more and more time at SHIELD doing Heimdall knew what. He returned usually for dinner and on occasion not for days at all. Dr. Banner stuck around for a few months before he too left on some humanitarian trip to southern Asia.

  
  
  


Finally, he'd deemed it time to visit his savior. He'd worked out the male's schedule enough to pinpoint where it would be easier to bump into him, seemingly out of the blue and not be overly suspicious. Loki had spent longer then he'd care to admit altering his clothing so he wouldn't stand out too much but remained comfortable.

  


"Apologies for disturbing you Mr. Laufeyson, however it appears the person you've been watching is no longer in London." Jarvis' voice sounded, a tinge of sympathy lacing it.

  


"Where has he gone?" Loki asked sharply, raising his eyes to the ceiling, even though he knew better after so long.

  


"I have not yet located him. He disappeared from a British library exactly three and a quarter minutes ago."

  


Loki closed his eyes and counted to ten, taking a deep breath and letting it out again. Harry was gone. Again. "Alert me as soon as you've located him."

  


"Of course Mr. Laufeyson."

  


Loki dropped onto the edge of his bed and fell backwards, staring up at the ceiling. Where had he gone? Rather, why had he left in the first place? Could he have known Loki was tracking him? Certainly not, he'd been unable to find his magic signature for a month and a half. No that couldn't possibly be the reason. So why then had he suddenly left? Loki growled softly and abruptly sat up, stalking out into the hallway and down to the living area on the floor he shared with Thor, Jane, and Darcy.

  


Darcy was camped out on the couch, laptop in front of her and one of those blended fruit drinks he'd seen her drinking lately. She looked up when he came in, her eyebrows going up as well.

  


"Something wrong there Lokesters?"

  


He resisted the urge to glare at her, _barely_ , and moved to pace in front of the floor to ceiling windows.

  


"Alright, no answer that's fine. How about I guess?" She pursed her lips watching him for a moment before her eyes lit up. "Oh my god, you like someone. Like _like_ someone. Am I right?" She was entirely too pleased with herself.

  


Loki did glare that time then returned to pacing. "No."

  


Darcy shrugged, unbothered. "Fine, deny it but we're both know you are. So if that's not what's got your panties in a twist what is it?"

  


Yet another reason Loki disliked this woman, her choice of words. "The individual I have been tracking has disappeared." He finally said through his teeth.

  


Her eyebrows rose again. "You mean that dark haired guy Tony is losing his mind over?"

  


He spun to face her. "What?"

  


She shrugged again, clicking away on her keyboard. "Tony's been keeping tabs on some guy, real cutie if you ask me, for a few weeks. Wouldn't tell me why, only that he couldn't find any record of the guy anywhere."

  


No, Loki figured, and he likely never would. "That's all?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

  


"No." She said, drawing out the o. She clicked away a bit longer before twisting her laptop around with a flourish. "This guy."

  


Loki looked at the screen, and sure enough it showed several snapshots of Harry out and about in London. "I'm pretty sure Tony's only interested because he has no idea who the guy is and he can't figure it out. No records, no photos, family, nothing. He just popped up out of nowhere one day at the cafe that used to be open across the street. Apparently he worked there for a while before the attack, then he disappeared."

  


Loki scowled. "Yes, and he's done so again." He muttered.

  


Darcy perked up curiously. "You know him? Who is he?" Her eyes went wide. "Oh my god is he another god like you and Thor? Oh is he an alien? Some kind of extra terrestrial creature posing as a human to secretly spy on us and send information back to his home world?"

  


He simply stared at her. He had no desire to know how this woman's mind worked. He shook his head and continued pacing. "No."

  


She deflated, dropping back into the couch cushions. "That's disappointing. So he disappeared?"

  


"Yes."

  


She hummed and resumed clicking away. "You said he was in London last?"

  


"Yes." He watched her suspiciously as she clicked away, a determined light in her eyes that certainly wasn't there before.

  


"Well he didn't get on a train, plane, bus, or take a taxi."

  


"He teleported." Loki said flatly, his fingers unconsciously knitting together behind his back.

  


Darcy's eyebrow went up again. "So magic of some kind, noted." She hummed again. "Let's see if this works."

  


About this time the elevator opened to emit Thor and Jane who stopped immediately upon seeing the two occupying the living room and not actively ripping each other to shreds verbally.

  


"What has happened brother?" Thor asked, picking up on Loki's distress.

  


"Harry is gone."

  


"Gone, how?" Thor asked cautiously. "Has he left Midgard?"

  


"No." Loki reluctantly admitted.

  


Thor relaxed. "Then what is the problem? Can you not simply track him as you often did me as children?"

  


"I have never been able to pinpoint his magic. He has some way of throwing off every spell I've tried. All I know is that he is still on Midgard." And boy, wasn't that difficult to admit.

  


Thor frowned again, moving to sit on the other end of the couch from Darcy, Jane following along behind him, a notebook open in one hand and a pencil in the other. Loki doubted she knew where she even was.

  


"Did you ask Tony? Jarvis might be able to find him?" Darcy asked, looking up.

  


Loki gave her a look.

  


"Right, that's probably why he's so interested in this guy, never mind." She rolled her eyes at his dramatic behavior and went back to clicking away. "Do you have something of his? Maybe Jane could track it using some of her equipment."

  


Jane looked up at her name, finally tuning into the conversation. "What are we looking for?"

  


"Loki's crush disappeared and we're trying to find him." Darcy said without looking up.

  


Loki shot her a poisonous glare. "He is not my crush, he is simply someone I would like to speak with regarding magic."

  


Jane tapped the pencil on her lips absently. "If I knew what I was looking for I might be able to..."

  


"Could you really?" Loki's gaze bore into the woman and all movement stopped.

  


Jane blushed when she realized all the attention was fixed solely on her. "Maybe? If I had a sample of what I'm looking for?"

  


Loki studied her for a long tense moment before reached out and plucked the scrap of fabric from his pocket dimension. He held it out to the woman. "This is all I have."

  


Jane stared at the fabric contemplatively then jumped to her feet and stuck her pencil behind her ear. "We'll have to go to my lab and run some tests, see what kind of energy we can find. After that we might be able to tell what we should be looking for..."

  


Loki stopped listening as he followed after the short woman. He refused to acknowledge the part of him was desperate for this to work, as well as the reason behind it.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Two weeks later, Jane finished running every single test she could think of, and Stark had been officially invited to help track down the male. They spent another two weeks running every test _he_ could think of. In the end they had a couple different options they could try, but before they could get started an alarm had blared and the Avengers were called to assemble.

  


Days turned into weeks, and the Avengers seemed to spend more time off fighting somewhere than they did within the tower. Loki grew restless, and at Thor's prodding went out with them on a few calls. It didn't last.

  


It took Jane three months to compile the parts necessary to build a device that might be able to track Harry. It took another month and a half to actually build it as the tower was attacked directly a few times, warping a handful of the pieces needed.

  


Weeks passed, villains of the week came and went, and Loki honestly wanted no part of it, remaining fixed on his impossible search instead. He'd picked up enough knowledge simply by being around the scientists that he could easily keep up with them when they got started on what Darcy called 'science-speak'. She'd pouted when she learned he could keep up.

  


The device worked for seven minutes before it overheated and literally melted into a puddle of molten slag. It hissed and let out a curl of steam that briefly formed a wispy cloaked figure holding a crooked staff then dispersed. Loki bit back a scream and stormed out of the lab. Nobody saw him for six days until he silently slipped back into his room.

  


Determined not to give up, Jane and Tony set to work on the next option on the list. This one was significantly more complicated and involved an elaborate structure resembling a satellite dish to be constructed on the roof. It turned into an entire observatory which stretched construction beyond the expected three months to well into five before finally being completed. Jane was thrilled. Loki was frustrated.

  


Bruce returned in the midst of the project, quietly slipping back into the fold with stories of Indonesia and the strange green-eyed boy he'd traveled with for a time. Loki had nearly strangled him to get every single detail about the boy before finally backing off. Bruce had only had the barest tinge of green to his eyes through the entire ordeal and nobody realized until much later that he'd kept his control so well.

  
  
  


As Loki lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, he wondered if he'd ever meet the mysterious creature again. The thought that he might not wrenched at him, and he rolled onto his side trying to bury it deep enough that he didn't have to think of it.

  


He woke the next morning to a postcard from Osaka and a piece of thick parchment resting on the bed beside him. When he hastily flipped it over he saw a carefully pressed cherry blossom stuck magically to the stiff paper. He set it aside after a moment and lifted the parchment. It was a full color sketch of a bridge over a small stream in a park. Cherry trees in full bloom lined either wide and hundreds of the tiny flowers drifted through the air. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he realized everything in the image had life to it and was in fact moving. The young couple in the background drifted across the path, and the trio of young school girls laughed together as they wandered past. Through it all cherry blossoms fell like rain.


	10. Chapter 10

Nobody was quite prepared for a wild eyed Loki to come ripping into the communal floor in a pair of silk green sleep pants and no shirt. In the resounding silence Darcy wolf whistled and Jane shot her a look accompanied by a slap on the shoulder.

  


Stark carefully looked over the god, his coffee still halfway to his lips, eyebrows lifted. "Forget something?" He gestured to Loki's bare torso with his mug.

  


A moment of confusion passed before the barest hint of a blush crept up the god's cheekbones, he quickly materialized a plain black long sleeved shirt, not quite meeting anyone's eye as he spoke. "Where is Osaka?"

  


He was met with blank looks at his unusual pronunciation.

  


"You mean _Osaka_?" Bruce asked curiously.

  


Loki bit back a growl and nodded sharply. "It's in Japan...why?"

  


"Yes please explain, I'm on the edge of my seat here." Stark said sarcastically, though his gaze contradicted his tone, still fixed curiously on the god.

  


Abruptly, Loki wasn't so sure he wanted to share. He straightened his spine and morphed into the picture of uninterested. "No reason."

  


Barton choked on his coffee, and Natasha raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow accusingly.

  


"Have you news of our friend brother?" Thor asked, finally catching up with the rest of the group.

  


Loki shot him a glare as the pieces fell together and Stark broke down laughing loudly. "You're kidding me!" He got out between breaths.

  


"You owe me twenty bucks boss man."Darcy said, returning to her eggs with a smirk.

  


Stark waved her off and smiled knowingly at Loki. "I didn't believe her when she told me, couldn't possibly _fathom_ the idea of you 'oh mighty god of chaos and lies'" Loki cut him off.

  


"Mischief, I am the god of mischief and lies."

  


Stark rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter, point still stands. You like him."

  


Barton coughed loudly in the background and Loki rounded on him. "By the Norns if you do not stop."

  


Thor's hand fell onto his shoulder. "Aye, Loki leave him be. This is an event fit for celebration!"

  


"No, it most certainly is not." Loki hissed. He regretted ever going upstairs.

  


"Wait, wait, wait," Darcy interrupted, waving her fork around. "Trickster's right this time, can't celebrate till they're together and we can pull out all the blackmail material." Stark nodded sagely as Jane dropped her head into her hands.

  


Loki could only stare at them in mute horror.

  


"Ok brainstorming time!" Stark clapped and laid his hands flat on the table, leaning forward. "We know tall dark and mysterious was last in Osaka, might still be but I doubt it, not with how quick this guy disappears, anyway." He paused in thought. "Jarvis, focus your search on Osaka, then broaden out to the rest of Japan."

  


Thor pushed his dark haired brother into a seat beside where he sat by Jane and set an empty plate in front of him. "Eat Loki, they will no doubt have a most ingenious plan shortly."

  


Loki slumped, holding on to just enough dignity to refrain from slaming his head down on the table.

  
  
  
  


Once he'd finally been released from the communal kitchen Loki disappeared into his rooms and pulled the postcard from his pocket dimension. He brushed his fingertips over the flower, letting the memory attached suck him in.

  
__

Laughter and soft music surrounded him, a cool breeze licking his skin. He opened his eyes to find himself standing by a bench where Harry sat beside a slightly taller man dressed in all black with his hood pulled back. The man had a subtle illusion fixed around his true face, softening and lightening his eyes to a faint blue, warming his skin from deathly ivory to a light tan nearly matching Harry's. His long black hair hung down his back, dancing ever so slightly in the breeze.

  


Harry had a soft smile on his lips, and a deep contentedness in his eyes as he watched the people around them. Loki tracked the path of a blossom as it drifted down onto Harry's shoulder before it was gently lifted free by long fingers. Harry glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye before smuggling the blossom into his jacket.

  


"Did you think I would stop you?" The man's voice was velvety soft, startling Loki out of his study of Harry.

  


Harry refused to look at him. "I don't care what you think."

  


The man chuckled softly and pulled a postcard from his pocket, setting it on Harry's knee. "At least give the poor man some idea."

  


The memory faded away and Loki was once more standing in his bedroom alone. In a split second of impulsiveness, Loki shifted more fitting clothing around his form with a brush of magic and pictured the grove of trees he'd seen in the memory, focusing on a more secluded part as he let his magic carry him there.

  


When he opened his eyes it was to the faint light of dawn and the quiet only observed in the very early hours, before the world woke. He moved like a shadow through the trees, settling on the bench from the memory and closing his eyes. It was peaceful in a way Loki hadn't experienced since he was a child, studying magic at his mother's knee.

  


Loki didn't move until the sun had risen high in the sky and the park filled with people enjoying the weather and the blooming trees. He waited for a lull in activity before slowly standing, stretching his now stiff knees and slipping back into the trees.

  


The tower was quiet.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


The next postcard arrived two weeks later, resting atop a thick Japanese cookbook with sticky notes poking out between the pages every so often. The postcard was an image of a city skyline with a mountain in the background and the work Tokyo in fancy script. He flipped it over to find a short note written in elegant looping scrawl. 

> The food here is incredible. There's nothing as comforting as a hot bowl of ramen on a chilly evening.  
>   
> \- Harry

  


Puzzled, Loki flipped to the first sticky note in the book finding a recipe for Miso soup. The sticky notes, as he learned upon further investigation, were recipe notes written in Harry's loopy script, recommending a specific ingredient, or good things to pair with the dish.

  


Loki didn't tell anyone about the postcard, instead making up a short list of needed ingredients and requesting Jarvis got them. He spent the afternoon in the kitchen, after a brief lesson from Darcy on how the appliances were operated.

  
  


He ate slowly, savoring the flavors and ignoring the Avengers and co gathered around he table. They all chatted happily, complimenting him on his cooking skills, while silently musing when he'd learned.

  


"That was a most excellent meal brother. I do not know what has caused this sudden venture into the culinary arts, but I deem it a great success!" Thor boomed happily.

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  


The postcards became more regular, appearing roughly every two or three weeks. Sometimes they came with a book, other times a trinket of some variety, and on one memorable occasion a tiny black kitten.

  


> __
> 
> Her name is Enya. Look after her for me will you?   
>   
>  \- Harry

  


The kitten had quickly latched onto him as her favorite and he couldn't help the smugness as she refused to come to anyone else's voice.

  


The next postcard included not only a bag of fresh coffee and container of dates, but a small stack of CDs as well, all with the name Enya. It didn't take long for Loki to become enthralled with the woman's voice.

  
  


Slowly but surely life moved on, and surprisingly enough Loki with it, immersing himself little by little into the world he now resided in. Every postcard came with a memory pressed into the paper of one of the places Harry had been. Sometimes the other man was with him, but often he was alone.

  


With every postcard Loki would transport himself to where the memory took place, moving leisurely through the city, exploring the sights and sounds. Cookbooks became something of a staple and he brought one home every single time. He didn't realize until much later that he'd begun to think of the tower as home.

  


The other inhabitants of the tower periodically questioned him on his latest trip, throwing in their own experiences along the way. Meals became boisterous events filled with stories and laughter. Loki spent more time with Darcy in the kitchen, trying new recipes and experimenting with the variety of spice Harry sent him.

  


When Harry's next postcard included only a detailed map of Barcelona, Spain with specific locations starred, Loki happily dragged Thor along with him as he explored. They only got lost once, and only because Thor was reading the map upside down. He wasn't allowed to navigate after that.

  


By the time they made it back to the tower many hours later, Loki had paused at the realization that he'd spent the entire day in the company of Thor, and hadn't felt the ever present sting of betrayal even once. Hell, he'd actually enjoyed himself.

  
  
  
  


Fall slowly shifted into winter and with it more time was spent curled in his favorite chair by the window reading, Enya stretched out on his lap.

  


Loki sighed, marking his page and setting the book aside. This marked five weeks since he'd received the last postcard. The last one had been from Egypt and the accompanying statue of Bast sat regally on the table beside his bed. He'd had to do some research to figure out what the statue depicted, but that wasn't anything new. He'd often had to go digging to figure out what many of the things Harry sent him were, or how to use them.

  


Over the months he'd found his initial opinion of Midgard slightly, well, mostly wrong. It had been a hard pill to swallow, knowing he'd been so very far off the mark when it came to Midgardians, but he'd been slowly learning. City by city Harry had shown him what Midgard really had to offer, and somewhere along the way Loki had gladly immersed himself.


	11. Chapter 11

He wasn't running. Or hiding, or punishing himself or whatever other ridiculous notion Osiris accused him of. Really, he wasn't. Harry just wanted to travel for a while, really learn how this world compared to his. He wasn't hiding.

  


He'd been in Cairo for nearly a month now, mostly exploring the history it had to offer while comparing everything to the single time he'd visited Bill while he'd been working there. It was nearly mid afternoon when he finally settled down for lunch. Well that had been the plan anyway, before the shadow moving across the rooftops had caught his eye.

  


Harry casually followed the figure, not reacting as Osiris melted out of the shadows when he passed an alley, falling into step with him. "You saw him too then?"

  


Osiris nodded, offering no comment.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and snagged Osiris's arm, dragging him into an alcove hidden from view and letting the shadows swallow them. The pair rematerialized atop a roof behind figure soundlessly setting up a sniper rifle. Harry rose one eyebrow and took a step forward.

  


The figure immediately had a gun to Harry's forehead.

  


"Er...hi." Harry slowly raised his hands in surrender, frowning as he sensed something...off about the man. Besides the fact that he wore a muzzle, anyway. "I'm Harry."

  


The man's eyes remained flat, emotionless.

  


"Usually this is where you offer your name and we shake hands or something.” Harry said, letting a wisp of his magic drift over the man.

  


"Asset: designation Winter Soldier.” His voice was flat, matching his eyes. It sent shivers down Harry’s spine.

  


"That's quite a mouthful. Is there something shorter I could call you?" His magic rose ever so slowly as he was finally able to determine what was off about the man. He tilted his head a bit, his magic curling around the man and holding him still.

  


The man's eyes darkened as he tried to shift and found movement impossible. His finger twitched on the trigger, not enough to fire.

  


"I'm not sure what's been done to you my friend," Harry skimmed the very surface of the man's mind ignoring anything personal or incriminating. He could tell the man's mind was scrambled, being powerfully suppressed in a manner similar to the Imperius, yet different. In a brief moment of distraction, Harry noted that this was the second time he'd encountered this situation which was twice more than he'd ever expected to on this world. It was a worrying thought indeed.

  


"How about we take a moment to relax, let your mind drift." He let the barest hint of compulsion enter his voice as he focused his energy on undoing the pressure in the man's mind and weave the needed spell. He refused to fully enter the man's mind, not only uncomfortable with it himself, but having no desire to put the man through such a thing. Loki had been a rare exception to Harry's rules, and simply because he knew Loki had no chance of overpowering such a strong force. The man before him had the strength, was in fact already fighting it off, he just needed a push in the right direction.

  


Harry let his magic retreat as the block finally shattered and the man dropped to his knees, gun dropped beside him. A flicker of magic later and the spell wove itself together in the man’s mind. After close inspection of the man, Harry stepped back, giving him space to breathe.

  


The man was knelt with one hand, the metal one pressed flat keeping him balanced and the other cradling his head. He'd removed the muzzle and was moaning softly in pain. Harry winced, knowing that couldn't have been comfortable.

  


"Is there someone I can call for you perhaps?" Harry asked softly.

  


The man's gaze locked on him sharply. "Who are you?"

  


"I'm Harry."

  


"Steve, where is Steve?" His voice was scratchy and slurred.

  


"I'm sorry, I don't know who that is. Do you have a way of reaching him?" Harry carefully sat down.

  


The man squinted as he looked around. "Where am I?"

  


"Cairo, Egypt."

  


"What?" He asked bewildered.

  


"Where are you from?"

  


"Brooklyn, New York." He kept looking around dazed and speaking on autopilot. "Sergeant James Barnes of the United States Army, service number 32557038."

  


Harry didn't let his surprise show as he quickly parsed the information, comparing it to what he knew. "Is Steve in the army as well?"

  


That earned him a look that clearly asked what rock he’d been living under. "Steve Rogers, Captain America?"

  


Harry briefly recalled hearing the title somewhere when he was in New York, and an image of a man wearing the American flag came to mind. "Tall, buff male wearing a ridiculous suit?"

  


A shadow of a smirk brushed James' lips. "That's him."

  


"Then I believe he would be found in New York City, likely at Stark tower." Something about this situation was still off, but Harry couldn't figure out quite what it was.

  


"Stark? He's with Howard Stark?"

  


"I believe his name is Tony Stark." Harry offered lightly, sensing his answer was significant to the man.

  


"Tony? Howard didn't have any brothers..." James looked away trying to puzzle through the information at hand.

  


"I don't have much to offer on the subject, but if you would like I could take you to New York when I return?" It was a risky move, and Harry honestly wasn't sure how the man would respond.

  


Grey-blue eyes studied him intently for a long tense moment before he nodded once. "When do we leave?"

  


Harry scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "Well I'm not, headed straight back, I'm on a bit of a tour of the world. My next stop is Kenya, then probably Madagascar, around South Africa and Nigeria. After that I'd planned on heading towards South America..."

  


James was silent as he thought over Harry's words. "Do you know where I can send a letter?"

  


The question was unexpected and Harry stared blankly for a moment before understanding the question. "Um yes. I can get mail to wherever you need it to go."

  


James narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What does that mean?"

  


"How many people have you met that can freeze you in place with no visible aid?"

  


"What, you some kind alien or something?" James didn't sound repulsed, just doubtfully curious.

  


"The proper term is wizard, though I'm not quite that either. That is however, the best word in this situation I think."

  


James didn't look like he believed him, Harry didn't blame him. "But you can get mail to Steve?"

  


"Yes." Harry nodded definitively. "Getting an answer might be difficult, unless we worked out two way journals. Would that be acceptable?"

  


"What?" James was doing an exceptional job of handling this.

  


"A journal, you could write in it, and Steve would have one where he could see what you wrote, and his answer would appear in yours." Harry explained, mentally noting how hungry he'd become.

  


His explanation earned him another skeptical look but James eventually shrugged. "Alright. Where do we get one of these?"

  


"We find two journals you like, then I work my magic, and send it to Steve." Harry explained, pushing himself to his feet. "First though I don't know about you but I'm starving, and we should probably do something about well..." Harry gestured to James' attire awkwardly.

  


James took a moment to look over what he wore before making a face and nodding.

  


"Do you have any pressing desire to remain in Cairo? Based on how we crossed paths it seems like a good idea to leave. Probably as soon as possible." Harry offered, scanning the area around them for anything unusual.

  


James nodded and stood up, divesting himself of every weapon but his knives.

  


Harry thought for a moment before deciding it wouldn't be a good idea to apparate. He glanced over his shoulder catching Osiris' eye. The man nodded and moved close enough to grip Harry's shoulder, keeping himself encased in the shadows. Technically he wasn't supposed to reveal himself to those still living.

  


Harry held out his hand to James. "This is going to feel weird, just don't fight it and try not to think of anything."

  


James took a fortifying breath before latching onto Harry's hand tightly. Harry pointedly ignored the suffocating grip and let Osiris pull him into the shadows, controlling their destination.


	12. Chapter 12

James had quickly figured out Harry hadn't been lying about the wizard thing. He'd spent the evening grilling the man on everything from how they'd traveled to why the tent was so much bigger on the inside than it looked. He'd asked everything he could think of, distracting himself from the jumble in his head. He knew he couldn't avoid it forever, Harry had said he'd put a screen around the memories from after the block was applied. It made them fuzzy, but James knew they were still there. He knew he'd done bad things, horrific things while he'd been someone else's puppet. He remembered Harry's words about the spell when he'd asked.

  


"It's a spell used on severe trauma victims." He'd gotten a warm smile and a far off look in his eye. "A good friend of mine invented it a few years after he'd finished training to be a healer."

  


"How does it work?" James asked, not entirely sure he wanted the memories permanently locked away.

  


"The memories stay accessible but filtered in a way. As the patient works through the trauma piece by piece the memories relating to each instance slowly becomes more clear as the patient accepts it and recovers." Harry explain, his hands waving around as he spoke. By the end he shot James an apologetic look. "Draco always explained it better."

  
  
  


They'd spent three days exploring every shop they could find that had paper products before James settled on a pair of handmade leather notebooks. They were simple in design, one a lighter brown, the other smokey black, each with a simple geometric pattern stamped into the covers.

  


Harry had spent the night weaving magic over them after an evening spent wandering the market. James had seen him buy a few odds and ends, though the small woven basket had seemed an unusual purchase. When they'd returned to the tent he'd watched Harry place a postcard in the basket with a little wooden figurine of a giraffe. The basket had disappeared moments later.

  
  
  


"Alright, they should be working. Try writing something in yours and we'll check before sending it." Harry said, setting the black journal in front of James on the coffee table.

  


James snagged a pencil that had rolled under the table and flipped open the cover. After a moment of consideration he scrawled the word _'Bucky'_. He looked up as Harry held out the other journal, watching as the word scrawled itself across the page in his familiar handwriting.

  


"Now we know they work." Harry murmured, flipped it closed and setting it on the coffee table. "Now I need you to close your eyes and focus on Steve while you place your hand on the book."

  


James did as he was told, thinking about Steve the night at the bar. He felt the air shift and his hand dropped to the table as the book disappeared. His eyes snapped open and Harry smiled victoriously.

  


They spent another two months city hopping across Southern Africa before Harry deemed it time to go north. Harry packed up the tent and after a last look around, transported them across the world.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


They'd just left Brazil and arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After setting up the tent and surrounding area, they retreated inside to their separate rooms. James sat at his desk and flipped open the journal to read Steve's latest note.

> _Hey Buck,_   
>    
> 
> 
> It's been a busy week here, Tony had some experiment blow up in his face and not an hour later some guy showed up preaching about how he was the next coming of the Eternal Ruler. Nobody really knew what he was talking about but it didn't take long to get him into custody. He was mouthing off about gods and apparently something he said offended Loki and Thor. I'm sure he'll be fine in a few days.   
>    
>  Where are you and your mysterious friend now? Somewhere far away and interesting I'll bet. That seems to be the requirement on that adventure of yours. Anyway, I hope he's treating you right, and all that. Look forward to hearing from you.   
>    
>  \- Steve 

  


James rolled his eyes and grabbed the light-up pen Harry had jokingly gotten him in Rio.

  


> __
> 
> Steve,   
>  Sounds like Howard's kid alright. Nothing you say about those two makes me any more interested in meeting them ya know. At first it was the god thing, now I think they're just crazy. Then again, compared to magic everything else is a bit toned down I guess.   
>    
>  Just got to Argentina this afternoon, I think the plan is a week then we keep going west till we hit Chile. The weather here is great, and it's peaceful. You should visit sometime. Then again you'd likely find some gang and start a fight in an alley again.   
>    
>  How many times do I gotta tell ya, my friend's doing a fine job helping me get over everything, or at least start to. Nothing to worry about on that front Stevie. What about you? How are those heroes treatin' you? Are you still drawing? You should draw me somethin' nice.   
>    
>  \- James

 

* * *

  
  
  


Steve hadn't really questioned the journal appearing on his bedside table when it did. He'd thought it odd that someone had been in his room, but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. He had not expected it to contain a letter from Bucky who'd...apparently not died in the war like he'd thought. None the less the handwriting was Bucky's familiar chicken scratch, and even with a healthy dose of suspicion he'd written back. His letter, written on the next page, had been riddled with little references he was pretty sure history hadn't gotten a hold of somehow. Bucky's following note had caught and responded to every single one.

  


After that Steve had been fairly convinced, if not foolishly hopeful. He never told anyone what exactly the journal was.


	13. Chapter 13

Loki stood over the stove, absentmindedly stirring a pot of something called Gumbo. Harry's postcard the week before had included a memory of eating it, as well as a recipe card that looked old and was handwritten. Loki hadn't questioned it's origins, simply set about following the directions in an attempt to replicate the flavors.

  


The knowledge that Harry had returned to the United States sat heavy on his mind, his thoughts churning. Would the strange man return to New York, or visit in the very least? Would Loki ever see him again in anything but a memory from far away places?

  


"Think you might want to take that off the heat." Darcy called as she breezed through the doorway, beginning to gather plates and utensils.

  


A final stir and Loki flipped off the stove, carrying the large stock pot with ease into the dining room and setting it in the middle. Darcy followed a few seconds later putting down a stack of bowls and spoons.

  


"Jarvis, dinner." Darcy directed to the ceiling before grabbing a bowl and serving herself.

  


Over the next five minutes everyone in the tower filtered in and got themselves some dinner before scattering around the table to eat.

  


"Oh gods this is good." Darcy moaned, closing her eyes.

  


"Darcy is correct brother, this is a most excellent meal. Does it have a name?"

  


"Gumbo." Clint answered between bites. "Haven't had any this good since I was last in New Orleans."

  


Loki resisted the urge to preen under the compliments. He'd gotten much better at receiving them and actually believing them to be genuine since arriving at the tower those years ago.

  


"Apologies for the interruption," Jarvis's cool voice sounded. "But there is a man identifying himself as James Barnes requesting entrance."

  


Steve was immediately on his feet, while Tony looked confused. Natasha and Clint had gone still, and Sam looked worried.

  


"Let him up." Steve said, his voice an odd mix of anxiety and hope. To be honest it put Loki a bit on edge. A glance around the table proved he wasn't the only one.

  


"Ah Cap?"

  


"It's fine Tony, he's good. We've been writing to each other for nearly half a year now." Steve answered, his gaze focused on the elevator doors.

  


"Steve, you sure about that?" Sam didn't sound entirely convinced.

  


Before Steve could answer the elevator doors slid open to reveal the infamous James Barnes. On first glance he didn't look like much, just an average man who spent time at the gym. His jeans were slightly ratty, definitely worn in, and the black hoodie covered a T-shirt with some design he couldn't quite make out. His hair was pulled back into a bun of sorts and he wore a brilliant blue scarf around his neck that matched the half gloves on his hands. As the man moved closer Loki's eyebrow went up as he could finally make out the pattern of tiny alpacas stitched into the gloves and scarf.

  


"Buck?" Steve as breathlessly. "That really you?"

  


"Yeah Steve, it's me." He answered, a half smile twisting his lips. His gaze tracked around the space quickly taking in all the details. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything, my friend told me this would be a good time."

  


"Yeah, no, it's..we're...dinner." Steve said, his wide eyed gaze still locked on the man.

  


"Friend?" Tony asked suspiciously, at the same time.

  


James' gaze flicked briefly to Tony and Loki couldn't miss the calculation reflected back at him. Clearly they wouldn't be getting the whole story. "The person I've been traveling with since I broke my programming in Cairo 11 months ago."

  


Tony fell back in his chair, his mind running a mile a minute as he took in the information.

  


"You broke the programming?" Sam sounded impressed, though his body language said he still wasn't totally convinced. "By yourself?"

  


"My friend helped me." James said vaguely, not quite meeting anyone's eye as he said it.

  


Loki's eyes narrowed and he took a closer look at the man, only then noticing the little wisp of painfully familiar magic woven into the scarf James wore, and clinging to the tie holding back the man's hair. "Are you aware of the magic your carry on your person?"

  


The question made everyone tense, and James shifted just enough that he could move in an instant if he needed to. Well, Loki thought, _that_ spoke volumes.

  


”Buck, what's he talking about?" Steve asked carefully.

  


"Yes, I'm aware." James said, his tone warning against further questions. "No, it's none of your business."

  


"I believe it very much is." Loki couldn't stop the words from leaving his lips. He cursed his sudden lack of control, ignoring both Darcy's piercing gaze, and Tony's curious look.

  


James studied him closely for a long moment before something in his gaze clicked. His posture relaxed slightly and he smiled knowingly. "So you're the one." It wasn't a question, and Loki didn't answer, simply staring at the man.

  


Sensing he wouldn't get anything in return, James rolled his eyes. "He's been looking at setting up shop in the East Village."

  


"What kind of shop?" Darcy asked from across the table, startling Steve.

  


"Apothecary I think. He grows his own plants and blends them himself to make balms and the like." James answered with a charming smile directed at the woman. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

  


"Darcy Lewis." She practically purred.

  


Tony snorted. "Stop flirting and tell me about this friend."

  


"Doesn't concern you Mr. Stark." James said easily. "Mind if I join you guys?"

  


Steve gestured to a chair at the same time that Darcy spoke. "Please do."

  


"Mr. Stark was my father, I'm Tony." He replied without missing a beat. "So apothecary huh? That's pretty specific, can’t be too many of those in New York."

  


Bruce shot him a look and Tony shrugged. "Jarvis?"

  


"Don't answer that." Bruce said quickly.

  


Tony rolled his eyes, bracing his chair back on two legs. "You're no fun Brucie."

  
  
  


Long after dinner had ended and James had left with a promise to return the next day, Loki sat curled in his favorite chair by the window in his room. He turned a flat blue stone over and over between his fingers as he thought over his first meeting with Harry nearly three and a half years before.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"Are you sure it was a good idea to let him go alone?" Osiris' voice drifted across the newly acquired two bedroom apartment.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and continued weaving the expansion charms throughout the apartment. "There's a charm on his scarf, I'll know if he's in trouble."

  


Osiris hummed in response and added a few enchantments of his own to the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone was interested, here's the map of places harry goes starting from New York and ending back in New York.  
> https://triphappy.com/t/769072


	14. Chapter 14

It had taken nearly two months of work before Harry deemed it ready. The shop was by no means large, not much bigger than the Gryffindor common room had been. The front wall was all windows, while the other three were covered in shelves. Two narrow freestanding racks stood back to back on one side, while two tiny tables with two chairs each were pressed against the window. A counter display case ran across the back of the shop, blocking customers from accessing the back rooms and the back wall. One wall was all books, covering all types of natural, shamanic and spiritual fields with a focus on healing. Another held a variety of stones, charms, runes and candles, and the back wall held large glass jars of herbs and miscellaneous bottles of liquids. It was not unlike the apothecary in Diagon Alley.

  


Harry slid the door to the display case closed with a soft _snap_ and studied the interior. For the time being, he'd created something of a display with a couple pieces of drift wood he'd created divots in that held green candles. Surrounding them was a scattered set of onyx rune stones and some sprigs of pine. It wasn't particularly interesting, but for the now it would do.

  


He checked the curtain to the back once more before moving forward and unlocking the front door, propping it open with a nondescript looking stone. He'd thought the stone was something of a stroke of genius when he'd thought it up. The underside was covered in runes designed to make the shop seem more prominent to those who were in need of healing. What exactly that healing might be, he'd left up to the powers that be.

  


"So it begins." Osiris said softly from the back room, one grey-black eye visible between the edge of the curtain and the doorframe.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and settled down on a stool behind the counter. "No."

  


Osiris didn't respond at first, but Harry could feel his gaze boring into his shoulder as he picked up the book he'd been reading and flipped open to his marker. "One never knows the path they're on until it's too late to change."

  


He spun on the stool to answer but glared when he saw Osiris had disappeared. With a huff of irritation he turned back to face the front of the shop and returned to his book.

  
  
  


It was mid afternoon when James strolled casually through the door, a brown paper bag clutched in his flesh hand, the other tucked into his jean pocket. He ducked easily under the partition and dragged another stool out from the backroom, dropping onto it and beginning to dig through the bag.

  


"Wasn't sure what you wanted so I got you veg chow mein and some kind of stir fry thing." He set both containers on the counter along with a pair of chopsticks and pulled out his own small pile of containers.

  


"Fine with me." Harry said, transfiguring his wooden chopsticks into smooth dark metal and opening the container closest to him. "How'd it go last night?"

  


James nodded. “Good. Interesting group of people he made friends with, but it's Steve, so…” He shrugged and took another bite.

  


"Glad to hear, clearly they didn't cut you into tiny pieces or lock you up somewhere. I'd count that as a win myself."

  


James snorted and bit into an egg roll. "So a god huh?"

  


Harry very carefully didn't respond.

  


"Not who I'd have guessed, but you could do worse. He's certainly not bad on the eyes." James hummed.

  


Harry choked and quickly transfigured a pen into a cup he filled with water. "I'm sorry, what?"

  


James looked up innocently. "That guy, tall dark hair green eyes, kind of intense. He's pretty, you'd look good together."

  


"I do believe he'd curse you if he heard you refer to him as 'pretty'." Harry muttered, clearing his throat. "How exactly do you know I have any contact with him?"

  


James smirk turned into a shit-eating grin. "He was practically feral when he felt your magic on me, asked me if I knew about it and insisted I tell him about you." He looked up. "What was that by the way, whatever you did to my scarf?"

  


"Simple alert, if they did anything to you I'd know and be able to find you."

  


A moment too long of silence made Harry look up, and immediately blush at the look James was giving him. "It was just a precaution. Worst case scenario type of thing."

  


"You're the one who said it was a good time."

  


Harry shrugged and focused on his food again. "It was."

  


James stared at him for another minute before huffing and going back to eating. "Back to my question. How'd you meet the god?"

  


Harry closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "Is it really important?"

  


James hummed an affirmative as he chewed.

  


"It was back during the battle of New York," Harry said, rubbing his hand across his eyes. "I was working at a cafe across from Stark Tower and I believe he came down to investigate my wards."

  


"That's it?" James didn't sound convinced. "There's gotta be more than that. One meeting isn't enough to make someone that interested in tracking you down."

  


Harry's laugh had a bitter edge to it. "You'd be surprised." He muttered, taking another bite.

  


Before James could say anything else, a pair of teenage girls wandered into the shop and Harry stood up, quickly shifting his food and the bag onto his vacated stool and shooting James a look.

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


Loki wasn't irritated per say, he was simply irked. Or if you asked anyone else in the tower, extremely frustrated. Here was the man he'd been searching for, for nearly three and a half years residing in the very city he was and still he was unable to track him down. None of his spells worked, and if he didn't know better he would think James had been lying to him. He couldn't find a trace of that wild addictive magic anywhere in the city.

  


Not that it was much of a comfort, but Jarvis hadn't been able to find the man either, and it was driving Tony slightly mad as well. By this point everyone in the tower had been clued in to the fact that Loki had been in one-way communication with the man since he'd returned to New York after the farce of a trial.

  


Not that he was aware, but there was a running bet on when Loki would finally meet the untraceable man. The only other person not in the know was oddly enough, Tony.

  


"This might seem a little primitive to your royal sensibilities, but you _could_ ya know actually go out and walk around the East Village. Just an idea." Darcy said breezily as she dropped onto the couch in the living room on the floor they shared with Jane and Thor, and flicked on the TV.

  


Loki resisted the urge to growl at her and glared instead.

  


"Like I said, just an idea." Darcy said without even looking at him.

  


He moved gracefully to his feet and stalked down the hall to his room. He stopped short however, at the sight of a piece of parchment with a hand drawn map sitting innocently on his pillow. He brushed his fingers across it and closed his eyes as a memory of a little cafe and the scent of coffee filled his senses.

  


With a glance at the map, Loki called his thinner coat to his arm and faded out of sight. He had a man to find.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry looked out across the sunny field, the grass so green it nearly matched his eyes. He wasn't sure why she'd picked this place, but after a look around he had to admit it made a certain kind of sense. Especially considering who he was meeting this beautiful Tuesday afternoon.

  


A flash of white caught his gaze and he smiled at the sight of his companion dancing barefoot between patches of wildflowers. Her white sundress drifted gently around her knees, little blue petals raining down from the larger blue flowers decorating the bodice of the dress. While not something someone like Hermione might wear, it was definitely something Luna would.

  


She looked up on his approach, smiling warmly, not pausing in her dance. "This is the best field for dancing in the area."

  


"I'm sure it is." Harry hovered off to the side awkwardly.

  


"Will you dance with me Harry Potter?" Luna's bright eyes settled briefly on him before shifting away. He swore she could see his very soul in that split second.

  


"I'm not...I don't...dance." A light blush dusted his cheeks and he couldn't quite look at her as he spoke.

  


Her laugh was soft as it drifted on the breeze and a moment later she dropped back onto a blanket spread out to the side, gesturing for him to join her. He awkwardly sat beside her, careful to keep his shoes off the blanket.

  


"So you've met him then?"

  


Harry jumped, the question startling him from his thoughts. Once the words resolved themselves in his head his head snapped around to look at her, wide eyed. "How did you know that?" He frowned. "Have you met him too?"

  


She laughed again and closed her eyes, her arms coming up above her and twisting around like she'd been doing while dancing. "No, but I've seen him a few times. He often visited the thestrals at Hogwarts."

  


He guessed that made sense, thestrals being so closely related to death as they were. "Wait, but how did you know _I've_ met him?"

  


Her arms froze and she opened her eyes to study him for a long second before smiling again and closing her eyes. "What will you do now Harry?"

  


Apparently he wouldn't be getting an answer, then again at that point he'd have been more surprised if he had gotten one from the woman. "What do you mean?"

  


"You don't have to fight anymore." Her voice grew even softer. "You have eternity before you. What will you do?"

  


The words hit him like a ton of bricks. That part hadn't exactly registered yet, and to have someone say it so matter-of-factly made his chest tighten and his hands begin to sweat. What would he do with 'eternity'?

  


"I-I...I don't know..." His eyes unfocused as he stared down at the grass between his feet, struggling to put even two words together in his head. "I don't..."

  


Her fingertips brushed his shoulder as she let the silence stretch.

  


"E-Eternity? You're s-sure?" He had to swallow the lump in his throat twice before he could get the words out, and even then they sounded strangled.

  


"I'm sure it's not as scary as it seems." She said lightly. "Enough time to learn everything you could ever want to I imagine."

  


Harry couldn't help but laugh, he pointedly ignored the slight edge of hysteria to it. "I'm sure you could." He fell back to lay beside her, staring up at the cloudless blue sky.

  


"He looks like a very nice fellow," Luna turned her head to face him, her eyes once more opening. "Death."

  


There was that hysterical laugh again. "Osiris, he said he likes being called Osiris."

  


Luna nodded. "A fine name, it is. Osiris. Do you know much about the Egyptian god Osiris?"

  


He could honestly say he knew very little. "Not really."

  


"You see Egypt really has two gods relating to death, Osiris and Anubis," She looked up at the sky. "He was considered the lord and judge of the dead, after you died your soul traveled to his hall to be judged for balance. If you passed you could enter his kingdom."

  


"Oh."

  


"It's quite fitting when you think about it. Isn't it?"

  


Harry nodded, still mulling the words over in his head. There was a sort of irony to it the more he thought about it.

  
  
  
  


They laid in silence for a while before Luna spoke again, her voice mild. "It's too bad about Ginny."

  


Harry shifted. "I couldn't be what she wanted."

  


"Of course not." The words were said so simply that Harry couldn't help the surprised look he gave her. "She could never understand who you are now. And of course she's a woman."

  


That startled a bark of laughter out of him and he closed his eyes, feeling the tension he'd been carrying in his shoulders ever since the end of the war start to loosen. "Yes, yes she is."

  


"Have you spoken with Draco recently?"

  


"He's nearly finished with his healers training." Harry ran his hand through his hair as he recalled the recent meeting with his former rival. "He's determined to focus on healing the mind, particularly those involved in the war."

  


"That is a good path for him. He will do well I think." She smiled up at the sky. "Will you stay?"

  


He could tell there was a depth to the question beyond a simple inquiry, and took a moment to think over his words. "For now I think I will."

  


She nodded again and sat up, beginning to gather her few belongings. He followed suit, helping her fold up the blanket.

  


"Promise me something Harry Potter." Her gaze bore into his intently.

  


"Sure."

  


"Do not let happiness pass you by when it comes." Her words held a weight he couldn't fully grasp in the moment.

  


”O-Ok.”

  


She nodded once then turned on her heel and disappeared.

  
  
  


He wouldn't fully understand that promise until many, many years later as he leaned against the display counter of his shop, his gaze tracking an elegantly dressed figure walking cautiously into the cafe across the street.


	16. Chapter 16

Finding the cafe had been simple enough, and after some observation of the area Loki decided he had the right place. He wandered in, his gaze sweeping the surrounding shop fronts, and ordered a cup of matcha tea to go. It was a nice cafe, very homey with overstuffed chairs scattered throughout around little tables. The sleek gas fireplace situated in a column of stone gave the back of the cafe an appealing bit of privacy.

  


With drink in hand Loki strolled down the sidewalk, subtly tracking everyone around him. He'd let out a wave of magic half a block back and picked up on a concentration on magic across the street from the cafe. However, an uncharacteristic burst of nerves had him heading away from the spot.

  


Loki scoffed mentally at himself. Here he was, over a _thousand_ years old and the mere idea of facing the man who'd saved (he still hated that word) him sent his hands shaking with nerves and his heart pumping? It was horrific! _Thor must never find out._

  


Without paying attention he'd crossed the street and was only two doors down from the odd little shop with it's door propped open, and a wooden sign hanging perpendicular to the door. The word _Polaris_ in gleamed in silver script on a navy background that looked like the night sky. Loki would swear the tiny painted stars were twinkling.

  


As he ducked inside he noted the a little bundle of magic centered on the rock holding the door open. The interior reminded him faintly of his rooms back on Asgard with the books and jars of herbs lining the walls. He took in the shop in it's entirety before letting his gaze settle on the brilliant green eyes that had been watching him since he'd entered.

  


"Harry." Loki said softly, pushing down the rising feeling of... _something_ as he looked the man over.

  


A warm smile lit the man's face. "Welcome, Loki of Midgard. It's a pleasure to see you."

  


The title gave him pause as he turned it over in his mind, realizing that as Asgard was no longer his home it did ring true. And wasn't that a strange notion. He shook the thought away and slowly approached the counter, taking a sip of his tea to buy himself another few seconds. "This is a beautiful shop."

  


Harry's eyes gleamed with an edge of knowing amusement and he tipped his head. "Thank you. Is there something specific that brought you in today?"

  


Loki kept his expression carefully neutral as he let his gaze stray to the shelves behind the man. "I was in the area and noticed an area saturated in magic." He shrugged.

  


The gleam shone brighter but Harry didn't call him out. "Feel free to look around and let me know if you need anything."

  


Loki nodded and wandered over to a shelf of books, skimming the titles and trying to fight his rising blush at the feeling of green eyes following his every movement.

  
  
  


Harry busied himself refilling a few of the herb jars at the counter while keeping a steady eye on Loki. Watching as he moved methodically from one end of the store to the other looking at everything. He knew the man was bursting with questions, likely so many he didn't even know what they all were. Harry also knew he wouldn't be able to answer all of them, and others he simply wouldn't want to.

  


As he watched the man, he couldn't help but compare him to the man he'd seen on his knees in chains back on Asgard. The differences were so extreme he looked like nearly a new person. The man stood straighter but lacked the ever present tension he'd held before, his former arrogance softening to confidence. His eyes were warmer, more inviting and inquisitive than cold and cruel as they had been. Even his clothing had changed from styles practically dripping royalty to a more relaxed style that spoke more of contentedness with oneself and comfort. Not to say he wasn't dressed nicely, Harry had to admit the man was beautiful and his clothing fit both his body and personality wonderfully. Really everything about the man was appealing to Harry...and he need to quickly shut down that train of thought lest he get too distracted.

  


Loki's sudden, or not so sudden with his lack of attention, appearance in front of him startled Harry out of his thoughts.

  


"Why did you come back to New York?"

  


It was probably the last question Harry had expected Loki to ask so soon after seeing him again, and as a result left him blinking dumbly at the man. "I...what?"

  


Loki couldn't help his internal cheer of surprising the man, but kept it hidden as he repeated the question.

  


Harry's brow furrowed as he considered his answer. "It was time to come home."

  


"You don't seem like you're from around here." Loki noted offhandedly.

  


Harry shrugged. "Looks can be deceiving. You're a perfect example of that after all aren't you?"

  


Ok so he had him there. "Where are you from originally?"

  


"England."

  


That wasn't the least bit helpful and Loki knew Harry knew it as well. "Where is your family?"

  


Harry's smile turned bittersweet and he dropped his gaze to the counter top. "They've been gone for a long time now."

  


Loki remained silent as Harry seemed lost in his thoughts. He could only wonder at the man's history for the words to be said so calmly. As he parted his lips to ask about them the sound of footsteps interrupted them and he glanced over his shoulder at the same time Harry looked up, an inviting smile on his lips again.

  


"Welcome, how can I help you?" Harry greeted warmly, moving down the counter away from Loki and towards the woman who'd entered.

  


"Yes, hi. My daughter is sick and a friend recommended some tea she got here? Something with ginger maybe?" The woman squinted at the jars on the shelves trying to find anything that would ring a bell in her memory.

  


"Was she in last week? Her son had caught something?" Harry tilted his head slightly, mentally running through every customer he'd seen recently that matched the situation.

  


"Yes."

  


"Right, she got a bag of my autumn immune blend." As he spoke he pulled a metal tin off a shelf and pulled off the lid presenting it to the woman. "Would you like some?"

  


The brunette woman nodded after glancing in the tin and started pulling out her wallet.

  


Harry nodded to himself and moved to the scale. "How much would you like?"

  


"Is a quarter pound enough?"

  


"How old is your daughter and how long has she been sick?" Harry busied himself grabbing a paper bag and setting it up on the scale.

  


"She's twelve, been sick for oh three days now."

  


"A quarter pound should be fine." Harry quickly measured out the correct amount and secured the bag tightly, letting a wisp of his magic settle into the bag as he did so. He quickly rang the woman up and a few minutes later she was bustling out the door, a little blue bag matching the shop's sign in her hands.

  
  
  


Loki couldn't help but watch the enigma of a man as he worked. He held a natural grace people worked their entire lives for and never attained and Loki admired it greatly, wishing absently that Thor held even a fraction of Harry's grace. He hadn't missed the bit of magic given to the woman and he wondered if the man did that for all his customers.

  


"Would you like to have dinner tonight?" Loki blinked, that wasn't what he'd meant to ask.

  


Harry's smile warmed several degrees and he nodded before turning to return the tin to it's place. "I'd love to. Did you have a place in mind?"

  


Loki raced through all the places he knew in New York that had food, good food, before coming up with a blank. "I'll cook." He really needed to stop talking, every time he opened his mouth he only made it worse. He winced mentally at the amused quick of Harry's lips.

  


"Alright, my place or yours?"

  


"Mine, 7 o'clock." By the Norns what was the matter with him today?

  


"I'm looking forward to it." Harry said. "Should I bring anything?"

  


"No need." There finally, something _normal_ to say. "Just yourself." He sighed internally, thoroughly over the entire conversation. Where was his silver tongue now, he thought sardonically.

  


At least Harry seemed happy. "You live in Stark tower correct?"

  


Loki nodded, mildly horrified at the thought of saying anything else.

  


"Then I'll see you there at 7, Loki."

  


The strange feeling was back, and Loki carefully pushed is back down refusing to acknowledge it, and nodded once before turning on his heel and leaving the shop. He made it half a block before ducking into an alley and disappearing.

  


Apparently he needed to arrange dinner and somehow keep everyone else in the tower from finding out Harry was there. He had a sinking feeling it wasn't going to work.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not beta read, I'm exhausted. Will read over and do minor grammatical edits likely tomorrow or this weekend.

At 6:55 Harry stepped into the nicest elevator he'd ever seen, ignoring the knowing look James was sending him. The doors slid soundlessly shut and they started moving.

  


"Don't you usually push a button?" Harry asked frowning at the lack of buttons of any kind anywhere in the elevator.

  


James smirked. "Jarvis, Stark's AI runs the place."

  


"Good evening Mr. Barnes, might I inquire after your companion's name?" A cool voice broke the momentary silence, startling Harry. James pointed at the ceiling and mouthed 'Jarvis'.

  


"Harry, pleasure to meet you Jarvis." He said cheerfully to the ceiling. "Might you know where Loki is?"

  


"Mr. Laufeyson is currently in the kitchen on the communal floor. You shall arrive momentarily." As he finished speaking the elevator doors slid open to reveal a large open floor plan living and dining room. James stepped out and Harry followed a few steps behind, taking in all the details of the room and pausing in front of the wall of windows to look out over the city.

  


"Look who it is!" A loud shout drew Harry's gaze to the doorway where James stood, blocking his view of the speaker. "Did we know he was coming tonight?"

  


The resigned sigh made Harry smile and he moved silently across the room to peek around James. The kitchen was nearly as large as the living space was, which was impressive in itself, and the warm glow reminded him briefly of the Burrow before he pushed the memories away.

  


A handful of people were scattered throughout the room, though only two of them present actually appeared to be doing anything with food. A dark haired woman stood by the stovetop to the left stirring something while Loki dug through a drawer. Two of the people spotted him right away, though neither let it show and Harry's curiosity stepped up a notch.

  


A burly blonde quickly spoke up. "Yes Tony, I invited him remember?"

  


Tony tilted his head back then shook it. "I don't recall that."

  


The man sighed and glanced at James, his eyes widening and spine straightening as he spotted Harry. As he opened his mouth to greet him the red haired woman smacked his arm and gave him a look then glanced at Loki who had yet to look up from his task.

  


"Any idea when your friend will be here Loki?"The red head asked casually, her gaze locked with Harry, a knowing glint in her eyes.

  


Something clattered in the drawer and Harry's could just make up the faint blush creeping up Loki's cheekbones. "Seven, though why you all _insist_ on loitering around my kitchen I do not understand."

  


Tony frowned. " _My_ kitchen."

  


"We're making sure you don't accidentally blow something up because you're nervous." The dark haired woman at the stove spoke up, lifting the pan beside her and flipping the contents.

  


"We are here to support you brother, in your courting endeavors." Thor boomed from the other end of the kitchen.

  


Everyone froze for exactly four seconds before reacting. While half the room laughed, The blonde man laying atop the cabinets looked mildly horrified, and Loki himself just closed his eyes and sighed, resigned to his fate.

  


Harry couldn't help himself. "So we're courting are we?" He asked, slipping past James and stepping fully into the room, his expression curious.

  


It wasn't hard to see the very moment Loki wished for nothing more than the floor to open up and swallow him whole. Harry gave the rest of the room passing acknowledgment as he stuck his hands in his pockets and approached Loki, his face tilted down slightly.

  


"How much of that did you hear?" Loki asked mildly, not raising his head.

  


Harry shrugged and glanced around the room, nodding briefly at Thor whose eyes widened before he bowed deeply. That had an interesting effect on the rest present, and Harry could feel the suspicion creeping into the space like a tangible thing. "About as much as James heard?"

  


Loki closed his eyes and tipped his head back and took a deep breath. "Allow me to apologize for my dwelling companion's behavior. Had I known you'd arrived, I would have banished them sooner."

  


Harry smiled, the smile growing at the indignant squawk from Tony. "No need, I find it fascinating, the people you spend your time with."

  


Loki's piercing green eyes lock on him. "I assure you, it is not by my choosing."

  


This time the woman at the stove scoffed. "As if. You couldn't get rid of us if you tried."

  


"I believe I have." Loki muttered, finally finding what he was looking for, and closing the drawer. "Excuse me, dinner will be finished shortly." With a nod from Harry, Loki moved to the stove and began dishing up a pot of something wonderfully aromatic.

  


"It is an honor to see you again Grave One." Thor said, his voice at a much more reasonable level compared to minutes before, once more bowing though not as deeply this time.

  


Harry shifted his weight, waving off the title. "Call me Harry, please."

  


"So you're the guy Loki's been losing his mind over ever since those two showed up at my doorstep again?" Tony asked, his voice loud enough to demand the room's attention.

  


A glance at Thor proved that he looked somewhere between scandalized and morbidly curious of Harry's reaction to the non-question. It amused him more than it probably should have, and he slowly turned to the rest of the room, his gaze drifting steadily across the inhabitants before landing on Tony.

  


"As I was elsewhere I can't really speak to Loki's behavior, can I?" His tone was mild, matching the blasé smile on his lips.

  


The guy laying on the cabinets whistled, shifting slightly as Harry's gaze fell on him. "So," he drew out the 'o' on the word, glancing at the red haired woman. "How'd you meet our resident megalomaniac?"

  


Loki let out an incredulous sound, but Darcy caught his shoulder as he made to turn around, keeping him focused on the food instead.

  


Harry tilted his head slightly to the side then blinked and looked away from the man. "New York, a little over three years ago."

  


That shut the room up, and Harry absently noted the nervous tension in the air, broken only by Loki declaring dinner to be finished. A flick of his hand had dishes piled with food levitating themselves to the table and settling with soft _clinks_ on the glass surface. After a paused everyone scattered to the table leaving two spaces across from each other for Loki and Harry on the end.

  


Conversations struck up around the table, but the pair remained silent as they served themselves, waiting until the attention had shifted off them before speaking quietly.

  


"I do apologize for the...company. It was not my intention." Loki spoke, his eyes flicking down the table.

  


"I don't mind, it reminds me of a place I called home a very long time ago." Harry's smile was bittersweet. "Besides," he added mischievously. "I can't imagine it'd be too easy to get up to anything too malevolent with so many people around you."

  


Loki's eyes crinkled in amusement as he took another bite of curry. "No, I imagine not. Though I can't say I've tried in such close quarters." He added breezily.

  


A soft mew caught the pair's attention and a moment later a black blur launched itself at Harry who caught it effortlessly, his eyes softening as the cat rubbed her head against his chin and purred loudly.

  


"It's wonderful to see you again as well Enya. I'm glad Loki's been taking such good care of you." Harry murmured, all the while Enya chattered away enthusiastically. After a few minutes of this she meowed particularly emphatically then turned and looked at Loki pointedly. Harry's gaze followed her and he raised one eyebrow. "Has he now?"

  


Loki's attention sharpened as he eyes twitched almost unnoticeably wider. "What have I done?"

  


Harry ignored the attention once more focused on them and shook his head once, a warm smile playing at his lips. "Nothing, nothing at all."

  


Loki clearly didn't believe him if the look he was giving Harry and Enya was anything to go by, but he didn't press any further.

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The dishwasher had been loaded and every one was scattered about the living space in post meal bliss when Tony broke the comfortable silence. "You spent three years wandering the globe. Why? You clearly knew we were looking for you, why keep running?"

  


Harry lifted his gaze from Enya stretched out on Loki's lap with her eyes closed purring contently. "I wasn't running."

  


Tony smirked. "Sure you weren't. What were you doing then?"

  


"Traveling, exploring this world..." Harry shrugged. "We can't all be genius engineers in our free time."

  


"He's got you there." Clint muttered, smirking into his drink.

  


Tony shot him a glare. "No, really. You can only travel so long before you run out of stuff to see. What were you doing?"

  


Loki raised an accusing eyebrow at the interrogation. But Harry spoke before he could. "That's true, but when you've got the time there's no need to rush, is there?"

  


Tony studied him closely, and Harry could practically see the gears turning in his mind. "How old are you?"

  


Thor straightened up sharply, drawing Tony's gaze. "I do not believe that to be an appropriate question, Man of Iron."

  


"No, see I like to know what the people in my tower are." Tony straightened up in his seat, his calculating gaze returning to Harry. "Earlier you called him 'Grave One' and you bowed. You Thor, don't bow to people, much less human midgardians. That means he's different, something is special about him. You say you met Loki during the Battle, pretty much nobody that crossed his path that wasn't us survived to tell about it. Strike two." Tony tilted his head his gaze glazing slightly as if he was working on a particularly difficult puzzle. "Combine that with Loki's reaction to you when they showed up exactly seven and a half hours after we shipped them back to Asgard and we've got strike three. So tell me Mr. Mysterious, what's your deal? Because I'm not in the mood for some villain wannabe tearing up my tower. Again."

  


The room seemed to hold it's breath as Harry considered the man before him calmly. "I have many names and titles, likely none of them would mean anything to you being Midgardian as you are." Harry paused, considering his words carefully. "On Asgard I am known as the Grave One, in other circles I'm The Master. In truth, I'm simply a man entrusted to Watch."

  


"Thought that was Heimdall's job." Tony shot back almost instantly.

  


Harry's expression softened. "Not that kind of observing my friend." He shared a look with Loki and slowly stood up. "If you'll excuse me I believe it's time I take my leave for the night. It was a pleasure to meet all of you."

  


Enya jumped down and Loki stood as well, escorting him into the open elevator. The door slid shut soundlessly and Harry relaxed back against the wall.

  


Loki studied him from across the small space, his curiosity barely contained.

  


"Ask what you wish, though I may not answer." He said softly.

  


"Why did you help me?"

  


The question wasn't what Harry had expected to be first, but he couldn't say he hadn't expected it at all. "I know what it's like to be controlled, though the control I was under had different circumstances, it was still control over my life held in someone else's hands. I would not wish that on even my greatest enemy ever again."

  


Loki digested the answer silently, following Harry off the elevator as they arrived on the ground floor. At the door Harry turned to face the man. "You always have a choice Loki, who you are is your choice alone. Do not let someone's opinion or expectations of who you should be direct your choices." He smiled warmly, reaching out to tangle their fingers. "You're a good man Loki, whatever you do, don't forget that." He stretched up and brushed a kiss across Loki's cheekbone, giving Loki's fingers a squeeze before dropping his hand. "James can show you the way to my home when you're ready."

  


With a last smile radiating warmth Harry turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Loki's cheek tingling and his fingers warm. Enya purred at his feet contently.


	18. Chapter 18

Loki made it three days before he cracked and decided to ask James for the address. Then put it off for another five days as he couldn't seem to find the right moment (read: work up the nerve) to ask.

  


James gave him a long look as the silence stretched on, evaluating him. Apparently Loki passed as James nodded once and ripped off a blank corner from an advertisement for an art store. He dug around in his jacket for a moment before coming up with a pen and without a care in the world used Loki's shoulder as a flat surface to scribble down an address. He clicked the pen on Loki's collarbone and handed him the slip with a knowing grin, giving him a salute before stepping back into the elevator. The doors slid shut leaving Loki mildly perplexed with a scrap of paper in his fingers.

  
  
  


Two days and four start-up super villains later Loki was finally free to disappear into the streets of New York. Jarvis had shown him a map of where he was going and given him six different routes to get there by foot, then another three via subway and bus for good measure.

  


The outside of the building was rather ordinary, red brick worn with age and cracked in a few places, with a plain grey cement staircase leading to a creaky set of wooden church doors that reached a good ten feet tall. With a subtle twist of his finger, the door opened easily for him and he stepped into the long hallway. The floor tiles were done in an art deco style that didn't quite fit the outside and the white marble staircase curving off to both sides once it reached the second floor stood out as unusual as well. Then again, Loki was far from an expert on midgardian architecture, though his knowledge on the subject had grown exponentially in the last three years.

  


He moved silently up to the second floor and veered to the left, walking until he reached a plain green door with a golden set of numbers that matched the scrap of paper in his pocket. He lifted the lion head door knocker and let it fall three times before taking a step back.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Harry had spent the better part of his morning off stretched out on the living room couch carefully carving runes into a variety of little metal and wood trinkets scattered across the coffee table. Osiris had taken up residence in one of the plum wingback chairs beside the fireplace with an ancient looking tome open on his lap.

  


James had been around for a while before he left to meet up with Steve, they were going to explore Brooklyn together. After he'd left Harry had unearthed a handful of old records he'd picked up in Diagon Alley after he'd graduated Hogwarts, and had been playing through them.

  


The door knocker sounded halfway through a Weird Sisters album and after letting out a pulse of magic to see who it was, he flicked his finger and the door swung open. He'd been curious when Loki would decide to show up, or if he even would, James' protest to that one not withstanding. The man seemed far more relaxed than he had the last time Harry had seen him, though there was a nervous energy hovering around him.

  


"Welcome," Harry smiled. "Come in."

  


Loki did as he was told, stepping aside to let the door fall softly shut as he took in the apartment. Right off the bat he knew the space had been enlarged with magic, every surface buzzed softly with its presence. The floor was a dark wood and the walls a variety of colors all darkened or lightened enough not to give one a headache with their difference. He approached the couch where Harry sat almost absently as he took in the incredible spell work woven through the place. The living room ceiling, and most if not all of the main living area ceilings if he wasn't mistaken, were enchanted to show a beautiful summer sky with clouds drifting lazily through.

  


Harry caught where he was looking and he spoke softly. "It reminds me of where I grew up."

  


Loki's gaze dropped to Harry as he greedily devoured the insight into Harry's life, rare as it was. "It's quite beautiful, the entire space is quite magnificent."

  


Harry dropped his eyes to the wooden dragon figurine in his hands and he smiled. "Thank you."

  


A moment passed before Loki finally noticed the figure seated by the cheerfully crackling fire and he stiffened, momentarily frozen as he mentally worked through how to address the individual.

  


The man waved him off without looking up and flipped the page of his book.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and pulled his feet under himself, gesturing Loki to sit down. "That's Osiris, don't mind him, he's practically part of the decor."

  


The comment earned Harry a glare from the man who lifted his chin and snapped the book shut before tucking it under his arm and standing up. He focused on Harry as he spoke. "I'll be around, try not to do anything too...carnal outside of your room please." With that he drifted purposefully from the room and disappeared down the hall. Harry's cheekbones were bright red as he glared halfheartedly after the man.

  


"Is he always..." Loki trailed off, not entirely sure how to end that question, or if he really wanted to know the answer.

  


Harry huffed a laugh and shook his head. "A jerk?" He smiled ruefully. "Nah, just when he's trying to prove something."

  


The answer intrigued him but he pushed down his questions focusing instead on the reason he came. He took a deep breath and turned his body to face Harry more. "I wanted to apologize again for the behavior of my..." he paused searching for the right word to capture the various relationships he had with those in the tower. "Companions. Tony's interrogation was inappropriate and disrespectful-"

  


Harry waved him off looking unbothered. "He was perfectly within his rights, Loki. Regardless of how uncomfortable it may or may not have made me, he had no reason to trust me as I was and still am a stranger to him."

  


Loki pressed his lips together. Harry might not be bothered by it, but Loki was, and he certainly wasn't about to convey Harry's message to Thor. He'd been so ashamed of Tony's behavior that he'd taken to following the man around like a duckling, lecturing him on proper manners and showing respect to those above even Asgard's royalty.

  


Seeming to read his thoughts Harry sighed and returned to etching into the little wooden figurine. "We'll have to agree to disagree I suppose. Now, assuming you're here for more than an unneeded apology, is there something in particular I can do for you?"

  


Loki's words died in his throat and he blinked, swallowing thickly as he tried to come up with a decent excuse for his presence.

  


"Simply visiting is a perfectly reasonable answer." Harry added mildly, flicking his gaze up briefly. "I don't get too many visitors since James lives here and Osiris practically does as well."

  


Loki swallowed again, still unable to make words.

  


"Would you like something to drink?" Harry asked suddenly, his project paused.

  


"Yes, please." Loki finally managed though it sounded slightly strained.

  


Harry nodded and rose effortlessly to his feet, wandering into the kitchen with a wooden figure clutched in one hand and the short thin rod he'd been using to carve tucked behind his ear.

  


Loki took his absence to look around the room again, moving to investigate the floor to ceiling bookshelves lining the walls on either side of the fireplace. Tucked in with the books were various little objects and wooden figures, clearly hand carved, as well as a handful of moving photographs. They drew Loki's attention as he'd never seen anything quite like it.

  


One photo in particular depicted a group of nine people, ten counting Harry. Three tell red heads, two of which were identical, the other with what appeared to be a fang of some variety hanging from one ear, stood with his arm around a blonde woman smiling warmly all made up the back row. A boy with dark hair and freckles stood beside a dreamy looking blonde girl on one side of a much younger Harry, while a girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes stood on the other, and finally a pair of boys knelt down in the front, one with dark skin and kind eyes, the other a manic grin and dark hair. They all froze for exactly one second before dissolving into giggles and collapsing onto one another. The group moved around a bit smiling at each other before rearranging themselves slightly differently and making faced at the camera laughing all the while.

  


"We were all so happy that summer." Harry's soft voice made Loki startle as he hadn't heard the man return and he looked over his shoulder. A pair of mismatched mugs in his hands and a plate of biscuits resting on one arm Harry had a wistful smile on his lips as he lowered the items to the coffee table, flicking his pinking and sending the scattered trinkets marching to the other end of the coffee table neatly.

  


"What happened?" He regretted the question as soon as the words had left his lips and he cringed internally as the brief look of pain that crossed Harry's features. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

  


Harry settled himself back on the couch, taking a moment to think over his answer. "It's a time of my life I try not to think too much about anymore as it only really makes me sad now." He paused, gathering himself. "Ask me at a later time and I may be able to share more." He gave Loki an apologetic smile that only made him feel worse for asking.

  


Loki nodded sharply. He knew all too well what it was like to be asked about something that dug up painful memories. "Ok."

  


"Now," Harry held out a brightly colored mug with a friendly smile. "what do you know about runes?"

  


Loki raised an eyebrow and settled back into the couch, getting more comfortable. "This could take a while." He warned lightly.

  


Harry smiled, and Loki couldn't help the sense that something had settled within him when that particular smile was directed at him. 

  


"I've got all the time in the world."


	19. Chapter 19

In hindsight Loki was rather surprised it had taken her so long to bring it up. He did however, think her timing could have been better. The whole team plus Loki, Jane and Darcy were gathered around the dining room table eating a late dinner. The Avengers had been out taking down a lab experimenting on humans and animals with alien technology, and had all thanked Loki profusely for having been making dinner when they arrived.

  


"You've been out of the tower a lot lately." Natasha had said mildly as she dished herself another helping of Chicken Paprikash. Due to exhaustion, nobody had been actively conversing throughout the meal so her words were easily heard by all. As soon as the words left her lips, everyone's eyes were on him.

  


He glared at her and avoided looking at anyone else.

  


"She is right brother, I do not believe you have been here the past four afternoons." Thor added (un)helpfully.

  


Darcy started giggling manically from the other end of the table and Loki grit his teeth, refusing to acknowledge it. "Oh my god, you were with your boyfriend weren't you!" 

  


He wished he'd left the table when he still could. It was a lose-lose situation no matter what he did, if he didn't answer it was practically a confirmation anyway. He nodded once and pushed back his chair to stand.

  


"Oh no," Clint said, hooking his ankle around the chair leg and jerking it back in. Tony took the hint and trapped the other chair leg. Loki merely sighed, resigned.

  


"So? What's the story?" Clint encouraged grinning.

  


"Yes, I've been spending time with Harry."

  


"And?" Darcy questioned, far too enthusiastically for his liking.

  


He rolled his eyes. "And what?"

  


"And I've been helping around the shop a bit." He shrugged, inspecting his nails.

  


"That's it?" Tony asked flatly.

  


Loki rolled his eyes again and glared at all of them. "I don't see why my social life is of such importance to all of you."

  


"Are you serious?" Clint asked. "It's probably the most entertaining thing happening on the entire planet. You - a ‘god' - are attempting, and probably failing, to woo what essentially equates to like a Real God. Why wouldn't that be important?"

  


Loki stared at him.

  


"No, no, no, he's right." Darcy added. "This is better than British royalty and all their drama."

  


Loki let his head fall back and his eyes shut as he slowly breathed out.

  


"I dunno, Real God might be going a bit far." James' voice drifted from the elevator where he stood, hands in his pockets without a care in the world. "More like the universe's most disorganized overlord or something."

  


Loki sighed again, not opening his eyes. "I resent all of you."

  


"Nah, you love us." Darcy chirped.

  


Loki sighed again and he could hear Natasha snickering in the background.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"Loki's been around a lot lately." Osiris said, sitting stretched out on the couch.

  


Harry, stretched out on the floor on his stomach, rolled onto his back to look at him. "Yeah?"

  


Osiris gave him a pointed look.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and turned back onto his stomach, returning to his book.

  


Osiris let the silence go for nearly ten minutes, just long enough for Harry to relax, before speaking again. "He's quite a handsome man, is he not?"

  


Harry froze, then slowly rolled to his back, half sitting up as he stared at Osiris. "I'm sorry, what?"

  


"You heard me."

  


"Aren't you asexual? I distinctly remember having that conversation." Harry ignored the slight note of hysteria in his voice.

  


"I can still appreciate beauty," Osiris sounded...offended? "What do you take me for?" Definitely offended.

  


Harry blinked, once, twice, three times before pushing himself fully upright. "Yes, he's beautiful. What does that have to do with anything?" he asked cautiously.

  


The smile he got in return was something smug and wicked. It unnerved Harry. "You could do far worse for a mate."

  


"Mate?"

  


Osiris looked over at him innocently. "Of course, you can't hang out with _me_ all the time. After all, that would be a travesty if ever I saw one." he paused thoughtfully. "Then again, I am rather good company."

  


Harry could only stare.

  


"That is beside the point. You" he pointed at Harry. As if he could be possibly talking to anyone else. "Need a mate, and as James is already pursuing the girl from the tower, he won't do. Loki is of good standing, attractive, and certainly a good match, being a sorcerer in his own right."

  


"Are you...are you trying to set me up?" Yep, that was hysteria he was hearing. No hiding that now.

  


Osiris rolled his eyes. "Of course not. You found this one all by yourself, I'm simply expressing my congratulations and approval of your choice."

  


Harry blinked. "My god, you sound like Draco at his snootiest." He murmured, hysteria bordering on mildly horrified.

  


"There are worse people to be compared to I suppose." Osiris mused.

  


"I'm going to turn around, go back to my book and pretend this conversation never happened." Harry said slowly.

  


"As you wish, master." Osiris said, grinning.

  


Harry shot him a look, opening his mouth to reply when the front door opened. They both looked up to find James closing the door and throwing his keys in the bowl, a satisfied smile of his lips.

  


"Good evening." Osiris greeted, drawing the man's attention to the pair of them.

  


James wandered into the living room, dropping into one of the wingback chairs and exhaling loudly, the smile never leaving his lips. He observed the two a moment longer, focusing on Harry's still horrified expression before his smile turned into a grin.

  


"What were you guys talking about? Please, don't stop on my account."

  


Harry huffed and glared at him. While Osiris rolled his eyes. "I was simply telling Harry that I approve of his choice of mate."

  


"Nope! You don't get to say that. We're forgetting that conversation ever happened." Harry said loudly, his cheeks flushed as he refused to look at either of them.

  


James raised on eyebrow. "You mean Loki."

  


Osiris hummed his assent.

  


"He is a good match. Not bad to look at either if you ask me. Pure eye candy, that one." James added, his grin clear in his voice.

  


Harry continued to try ignoring them.

  


"Bet he's good in bed too." James mused. "Been around for a while, probably picked up a few tricks along the way."

  


"Merlin, stop talking!" Harry shouted, his face burning. "Both of you stop talking."

  


James broke into roaring laughter, Osiris chuckling along. Harry rolled to his feet, snapped up his book and stalked from the room.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Three days later when Loki appeared on their doorstep, apparently hiding from everyone in the tower, Harry couldn't help but hear Osiris and James' words in his mind. He fought the blush valiantly and lead Loki into the kitchen where he'd been standing at the island making hand pies.

  


It didn't take long for Loki to catch on and begin helping, admitting along the way that he hadn't ventured too far into baking as that was Darcy's hobby.

  


"Does she do all the baking in the tower?" Harry asked curiously, his eyes periodically straying to admire Loki's long fingers.

  


”Mostly. Natasha makes something every once in a while though."

  


"Harry hummed, his gaze shifting from Loki's fingers up his forearms, pausing on his biceps before continuing their track. Or they would have if Osiris hadn't chosen that particular moment to walk into the kitchen and startle him out of his thoughts.

  


"I wasn't aware you were visiting today." He said neutrally to Loki as he crossed the room to the fridge.

  


"It wasn't exactly planned." Loki said, equally as neutrally.

  


"Hm."

  


Harry kept a close eye on Osiris as he puttered around the kitchen doing absolutely nothing, before finally approaching the doorway he'd come from. He sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxing, then froze as Osiris turned back to them, his gaze on Loki.

  


"You have my approval in your courtship of my master." He nodded once then turned and left the room. Harry's skin burned and he ruined the hand pie he'd been making.

  


Loki hadn't moved a muscle, and when Harry peeked at him, had a completely blank expression on his face. Maybe if he pretended that hadn't happened Loki would think it hadn't and they could go on all pretending Osiris wasn't trying to push them together.

  


Harry artfully remolded the dough, careful not to lose the filling already packed inside and set it on the pan of finished pies. He continued working, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the counter. It worked for all of a minute until Loki slowly unfroze and shifted his full attention on the black haired male. Harry kept working, pointedly ignoring the question hanging silently in the air.

  
  
  
  


Finally, Loki couldn't wait any longer. "I'm afraid I haven't taken you on a proper date as of yet." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Would you be amiable to joining me for a late dinner this evening?"

  


If he wasn't so nervous Harry's reaction would have been hilarious he was sure. As it stood nerves were zinging through every part of his body as he watched the male across from him.

  


Harry floundered. "I...we...um well...you...and....Osiris...and...yes?"

  


Loki raised one eyebrow, trying to piece the words together into some semblance of sense and failing. "Are you agreeing?"

  


Harry nodded, wide eyed.

  


"Alright, good. Excellent." Loki nodded once and returned his gaze to the ball of dough in his hands.


	20. Chapter 20

Their first date had gone about as expected. The restaurant they'd chosen had been packed, and with their luck Loki had been recognized as being associated with the Avengers almost instantly. They'd promptly fled, slipping instead into a tiny hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant and getting some take-out. Then they'd wandered for a bit before Harry suggested they go back to his apartment. He'd promised Osiris was out for the evening.

  


Harry toed off his boots at the door, waiting while Loki did the same before leading him through the kitchen and down the hall. Loki admired the magnitude of magic at work, not having been this far into the apartment previously as he followed. Seven doors down on the left Harry pushed open a beautiful stained glass door leading out to a large garden.

  


Loki knew it was spacial magic as soon as he crossed the threshold, but if he hadn't been so in tune with magic for his entire life he likely wouldn't have noticed at all. The sky was visible above them through the domed glass ceiling, both charmed he concluded, and a wash of stars twinkled brightly. Soft grass stretched out before him with a few narrow paths winding through it and leading off into patches of thicker greenery. Flowers lined the paths while creeping vines hung over wooden arches curling lazily in the pleasantly warm air.

  


"This is quite beautiful, did you do this yourself?" Loki asked softly as he joined Harry on a patch of grass beside a little waterfall, built into a wall of rocks.

  


"Yes, it's a bit of a work in progress though." Harry dug through the bag of take-out arranging it in front of them on a low wooden table he transfigured out of a pebble.

  


"How long have you been working on it?" Loki still wasn't really clear just how old Harry was.

  


Harry's answering smirk made him feel like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "It's been a while." With that Harry popped a piece of sushi in his mouth.

  


Loki hummed and took a piece of his own, turning his attention back to the garden as they ate. "Is that snow falling?"

  


Harry looked up where Loki gestured to a far corner just visible due to the terrain sloping above the trees. "Yeah, some of my plants need more extreme climates so I spread those out further so they don't interfere with the others." He gestured to the opposite side with his chopsticks. "There's a bit of desert over that way, and between the two some water, fresh on one side salt on the other. They meet in the middle separated by a bit of sand."

  


"Is it just plants or have you animals as well?" Loki asked curiously, watching the way Harry's eyes seemed to glow as he answered.

  


"There's a few, couple of snakes a few flocks of birds. Honestly I'm not too great with animals." He blushed slightly. "I keep a few of the easier to manage species, and enough others to support a natural ecosystem for them. The others that I have were special cases and rare exceptions." He paused, glancing over at Loki. "Do you like animals?"

  


"Some. I've always been fond of snakes." Loki said, watching while Harry stuck his chopsticks between his teeth and pulled the band from his hair. Long fingers twisted it up elegantly into something that looked far fancier and more complicated than it had any right to. Harry stuck a newly transfigured silver stick through it, a string of tiny silver bells hanging from one end. Loki would never admit it out loud, but he'd love to see Natasha's face if Harry did that in front of her so absently. He was sure her reaction would be priceless.

  
  
  


Long after they'd finished eating they laid back, trading stories of spells going awry in their younger years.

  


"This school you attended, was it here on Earth?" Loki asked curiously, trying to determine how Asgard could have missed something like that.

  


Harry shifted slightly. "Yes, but not this one."

  


Loki noted the finality of the statement and paused before shifting the topic slightly. "What did you do after you finished school?"

  


A small smile lit Harry's features as he reminisced. "I worked in government for a time, helping out in the law enforcement department, but mostly I traveled." He stretched his arms over his head, crossing them and settling his head on them. "Before then I'd never left the UK, having had a rather sheltered childhood. Then later in school when I was old enough to travel alone I was simply too busy."

  


"With studying?"

  


Harry's smile faded and he closed his eyes. "Not exactly."

  


A soft chime interrupted anything Loki might have wanted to say, and Harry sat up quickly, his gaze fixed on a spot in the tree line.

  


"James is home." He said softly, looking over his shoulder at Loki still stretched out on his back. His gaze traced down the man's features, drinking them in.

  


Without really thinking about it, Loki's arm wrapped around Harry's shoulders, guiding him down to lay with his head on Loki's chest. Harry in turn draped his arm across the man's stomach, settling against him and letting his muscles relax. Loki's other arm came up and he carefully pulled the silver ornament from Harry's long tresses, setting it aside and gently running his fingers through the dark strands.

  


Somewhere in the distance soft bell like tolls sounded, peppering the air with music. "Is he likely to come in here?"

  


"No, the last time he was in here one of the snakes curled around his arm and wouldn't get off. I had to charm her invisible for two days before she finally agreed to let go."

  


Loki let the absurdity of the statement flow over him as he continued brushing through his hair. He decided he rather liked the feel of Harry's slender form pressed against his.

  


"Was Osiris serious the other day?" Loki's soft question drew Harry slightly back from the edge of sleep he'd been about to fall over.

  


"Hm?"

  


"In the kitchen, did Osiris mean what he said?"

  


Harry, still on the edge of sleep answered easily. "He rarely says things he doesn't mean, unless he's messing with me."

  


"So he did mean it?" Loki asked, just to clarify.

  


"Yeah." Harry breathed, slipping further over the edge. 

  


”Good."

  


Harry’s quiet breathing was his only answer, his eyes closed and body relaxed against Loki.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've changed a bit of background information on our new friends, most notably their ages and how they came to be in their situation. It will makes sense by the end of the chapter, just wanted to give out a warning ahead.

When Loki woke he was laying alone in the grass, an elaborately patterned quilt thrown over him. It was handmade, old, and clearly well taken care of. Most of all it smelled like Harry.

  


"Good morning." Harry called from the doorway, a plain wooden tray bobbing along sedately behind him as he approached Loki. "I wasn't sure if you'd want tea or coffee so I have both along with cream and sugar and the like."

  


Loki watched him prepare himself a cup of tea, just a dash of cream, and settle down on the grass gracefully. "Either will do."

  


Harry blushed ever so slightly as he glanced up at Loki through his eyelashes. "In that case I'll leave you to choose, the box on the side is tea, you're welcomed to any kind you like."

  


He nodded and flipped open the lid, not entirely surprised by the elegantly scroll that unrolled itself from inside listing the various flavors enclosed. He selected a bag of orange chai and tipped the lid closed after the scroll rolled itself back up.

  


The pair enjoyed their tea silently, each ignoring the slight awkwardness weighing in the air. The peace however didn't last long as the shadows at the edge of the grove of trees nearby suddenly stretched forward and deposited a dark figure before retreating.

  


"Osiris." Harry greeted mildly, his face carefully neutral.

  


Grey eyes flashed between Loki and Harry apologetically. "I'm sorry to disturb you, however I have need of your presence for a time."

  


Harry's eyes narrowed and he nodded once. "Should I pack anything?"

  


Osiris paused before answering. "I do not believe so, however we will have company upon our return, I believe they will be staying for a time."

  


"Right." Harry downed the rest of his tea and set the cup back on the tray, his attention shifting to Loki and his expression softening. "I'm sorry to leave so suddenly."

  


Loki had watched the exchange closely, and it only seemed to give him more questions about the exact relationship between the pair. He tipped his head, finishing his own drink. "I wish you the best in your endeavors today." He flicked his gaze briefly to Osiris before he leaned forward slightly. "Perhaps when you've returned we could meet again?"

  


Harry broke into a grin. "I would like that very much Loki."

  


Returning the smile Loki drew himself to his feet pausing on his way towards the door beside Harry. "I look forward to it." He murmured, brushing his lips against Harry's cheek then continuing his way towards the door.

  


Osiris and Harry waited until Loki had left the apartment before letting the shadows engulf them and send them halfway across the world to a small country in eastern Europe.

  


They landed in an out of the way alcove in what Harry assumed to be a castle. "What's happening here?" He could immediately feel something unnatural in the air, tainting it and giving him a sense of unease.

  


"That scepter Loki had in New York was stolen and this group has been running experiments with it. Until recently they'd been unsuccessful, however they now possess a pair of twins who they've...'enhanced' through exposure to the scepter's energy."

  


It wasn't hard to read between the lines. "They've been torturing them."

  


Osiris didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the end of the hallway they occupied. "We need to move now, they won't be watched for the next fifteen minutes."

  


"Lead the way."

  
  
  


The pair ghosted through the halls on silent feet, hoods pulled low to cover their faces. Passing through the lab Harry let out a pulse of magic that killed and corrupted every electronic device in the vicinity.

  


Two cells were situated side by side on the other side of the lab, one wall made entirely of glass to allow for observation. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he realized just how young the twins were. He suddenly had a very good idea of why Osiris had failed to mention that piece of information, knowing Harry's history as well as he did.

  


On the cell to the left a girl no older than thirteen was curled into a ball on a thin mattress pushed into the corner, her back plastered to the wall, arms hugging her knees. The cell on the right housed her twin, a silver haired unnaturally skinny boy who was pacing restlessly back and forth across the room.

  


Harry approached slowly, drawing his hood back enough to reveal his face to the watchful twins who'd both perked up on their arrival. "Can you hear me?"

  


They both nodded hesitantly.

  


"I'm going to take you away from here." He spoke calmly, pushing the rage at their situation to the back of his mind. A twitch of his finger had the glass disappearing. "Will you come with me?"

  


The girl's eyes glowed briefly red before she slowly uncurled herself, wrapping the ends of her tattered sleeves in her fists and carefully climbing out of the room towards him. The boy reacted instantly, racing, literally, to his sister's side and lacing his fingers with hers tightly, his gaze uncertain as it swept over Harry and Osiris.

  


"How do we know you aren't just like them?" His eyes narrowed. "This isn't a test?"

  


Before Harry could answer, the girl tightened her grip on the boy's hand, drawing his attention. She muttered something in his ear and he stared at Harry for a long moment before nodding once and hesitantly approaching Harry, stopping a foot in front of him.

  


Harry's smile was tinged with sorrow as he held his hand out to the pair. "I'm afraid it won't be entirely comfortable traveling this way, but it's fast and secure. Just take a deep breath and try to relax, it will be over in a moment."

  


The twins shared another glance before they each latched onto his offered hand. Their eyes widened as the shadows engulfed them instantly, the cold snatching their breath from them.

  
  
  
  


When they shadows retreated they were standing in a living room, a fire roaring in the fireplace as clouds drifted lazily across the sky above them. The boy stared up at it in awe as the girl let her gaze drift around the room, taking in as much detail as she could.

  


This is my home." Harry said, throwing back his hood and letting the cloak drift apart into smoke before dissipating altogether. "My name is Harry, My roommate's name is James, he's likely out at the moment, and if you see a grey eye'd man, that's Osiris."

  


"Where are we?" The boy asked, his english heavily accented.

  


"New York City, America."

  


"I'm Wanda, that's Pietro." The girl’s voice was soft, though her spine straightened when she spoke.

  


"It's a pleasure to meet you. Why don't we get you both something to wear and I'll give you the grand tour?"

  


He led the pair down the hall to a room across the hall and one door down from his own room. It was decorated tastefully, a bed on either wall with a nightstand, lamp and window beside each. The walls were a light brown, and the ceiling was a starry night sky. "This will be your room as long as you like. I can change anything you'd like, just let me know." Harry spoke while he dug through one of the closets, unearthing an armful of clothing. He dumped it on the closest bed and started sorting through it. "Now let's see then."

  


The twins curiously approached the bed, looking through the piles until they each found something they liked. Pietro selected a pair of black loose fitting sweat pants and a grey T-shirt, a zip up hoodie thrown over it. Wanda chose a wine red T-shirt dress, black leggings and a black cardigan. Harry waited in the hall while they changed, then lead them back to the living room.

  


Half hour and many distractions later they were seated around the table in the kitchen trying to decide what they wanted as they poured over take-out menus. They'd just decided on Chinese when the front door opened to emit James, whistling softly to himself.

  


"Hello James, there's some people I'd like to introduce you to." Harry called, leaning over to see the man through the doorway. 

  


Curious James toed off his boots and meandered into the kitchen, shooting Harry a curious look at the sight of the two preteens observing him closely. "Hey."

  


"James, this is Wanda and Pietro. They're going to be staying with us for a while."

  


He offered a warm smile to the pair. "I'm James, nice to meet you." HIs eyes caught on the take-out menu. "Oh hey put me down for some orange chicken would ya?"

  


Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. “Noted. Are you hanging out here tonight?"

  


"Yeah, the team got called out to DC." James answered digging out a cup and a clear glass pitcher of green tea from the fridge.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Much later, after the twins had been put to bed, Harry and James sat on either end of the couch, a glass of amber liquid in their hands. Harry had just finished explaining the circumstances surrounding the twins and what he'd discovered of their history; it wasn't much.

  


James exhaled loudly and slung his arm over the back of the couch. "Hydra, huh?" He stared down into his glass. "Sorta wish I'd never have to hear that name again."

  


Harry could only nod in agreement, his heart aching for the young siblings and what they must have gone through in the hands of the vile organization.

  


"I'll let the team know, maybe they can get their hands on some information, or I don't know...we could do… _something_.” James ran his flesh hand through his long hair, frustrated.

  


"Don't tell them anymore than you absolutely have to about the twins," Harry said, locking gazes with James. "I won't have them dragged in to be interrogated by _anyone_ , I don't care how high their clearance is." He paused. "Those children are under my protection from now on, if any harm comes to them it will be repaid in spades, regardless of who it is acting against them."

  


James studied his face intently before nodding and knocking back the rest of his drink. "You and me both. Nobody's getting their hands on those kids if I can help it."

  
  
  


Pietro shared a look with Wanda, both pressed flat against the hallway wall listening. The silent doubt they'd been harboring dissolved after hearing the words spoken by the pair, maybe they _would_ be ok staying there. Wanda certainly had taken a liking to Harry, and though he fought himself tooth and nail, Pietro was beginning to as well.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the brief hiatus, school got busy.

It had taken two agonizingly long months to get everything settled regarding the twins. SHIELD had been predictably less than thrilled about the situation, and the avengers had been something of a savior acting almost as a liaison between the two parties. Not that they particularly had too much of a choice once Harry had refused direct contact with SHIELD three weeks in.

  


Bucky had set about tracking down as much information on Hydra as possible and halfway through the second month the Hydra base in Sokovia had been cleaned up with few casualties. Now the team was building a comprehensive list of all known Hydra bases, agents and bit of information they could get their hands on.

  


Harry had given the twins the option of home schooling or going to the local public school a few blocks away. Wanda had immediately jumped on the public school bandwagon, and after some prodding Pietro had grudgingly agreed as well. Harry's offer of assistance in training their 'powers' certainly hadn't hurt either.

  


Nobody beyond Harry, Bucky and Osiris had laid eyes on the twins, later that evening was set to be the first time. Tony had invited them all over for what Pepper had called a dinner party. She'd assured Harry there would be no alcohol and Loki and Darcy were cooking.

  


"Do you think they'll like us?" Wanda asked quietly from her spot perched on one of the stools at the kitchen island.

  


Harry looked up from the clear glass bottle he'd finished filling. "Why wouldn't they?"

  


Wanda blushed lightly and lowered her gaze, shrugging.

  


Harry corked the bottle and slid onto the stool beside her. "I may not be close with well really any of them aside from Loki, but I've no reason to believe they won't find you lovely."

  


She took a moment to absorb his words before letting her hair fall like a curtain into her face and spoke in almost a whisper. "What if they try to take us away?"

  


"They won't, and if they do," he reached over and grabbed a fork from the drawer, transfiguring it into a thin silver necklace with a little red gemstone hanging from it. "Then this will take you right back here."

  


Wanda took the necklace reverently and slipped it over her head. She looked up at Harry with wide eyes. "Can you give Pietro one too?"

  


He smiled and ruffled her hair. "I put one on his shoes his second day here just in case he ran off."

  


She erupted into giggles, only giggling harder when Pietro appeared across from them with a frown on his face.

  


"What's so funny?"

  


Harry shook his head. "Nothing, are you two ready to go?"

  


Pietro clearly didn't believe him but let it go for the moment in his excitement to finally be leaving the apartment.

  


"Let me go find James and we'll get going." He smiled at the pair and wandered down the hall towards James' room, knocking lightly on the door. "Are you ready to go?"

  


The door popped open to reveal James half dressed and yawning. "Yeah, lemme just find a shirt. I'll be out in a minute."

  


Harry rolled his eyes as James wandered over to his closet, and turned on his heel heading towards the front door. After double checking the lock he returned to the kitchen just as James wandered in, now fully clothed. "Right, everyone ready?"

  


After a round of nods they all grabbed hands and Harry let the shadows sink in around them. A moment later they pulled away revealing the elevator doors of Stark tower which opened for them instantly.

  


"Good evening." Jarvis greeted, taking them up to the penthouse.

  


"To you as well." Harry smiled, noting the looks of confusion on the twins faces.

  


The doors opened to the living area and Harry ushered the twins off the elevator. Bucky disappeared down the hall without a word and Harry rolled his eyes and led the pair towards the kitchen where he could just hear Darcy teasing Loki about something. Loki. He hadn't seen the man since Osiris had shown up that morning, what would he think about all this? Well no time like the present to find out. Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the kitchen, holding it open for the twins.

  


"Hey we were just talking about you!" Darcy greeted, pointing at Harry.

  


He raised one eyebrow, glancing between the grinning woman and a blushing Loki. "Should I be worried?"

  


"Nah," Darcy answered, waving it away and fixing her attention on the twins. "Hey you guys look like fun, wanna get a tour of this fancy place? Give these two a chance to catch up?" Without waiting for an answer she grabbed their hands and led them back out into the living room. Harry sent them a reassuring smile as they disappeared, then turned back to Loki.

  


"I'm sorry it's been so long," he said softly, moving to lean on the counter beside the man. "Things with the twins took a bit longer to sort out than I'd hoped.

  


Loki shrugged, not looking up, clearly trying for nonchalance. "It's fine."

  


Harry studied him for a moment. "No, I don't think it is Loki."

  


The words gave the man pause and he slowly turned his eyes up to meet Harry's.

  


"It wasn't my intention to leave you in the lurch, wondering about anything. I apologize for that."

  


Loki stared at him then nodded. "Alright."

  


"Perhaps we could spend some time together this week?"

  


"Yes." Loki blurted, then blushed faintly. "I mean, did you have anything in particular in mind?"

  


"Not really." Now it was Harry's turn to blush lightly as he dropped his eyes to the pot on the stove in front of Loki. "Perhaps we could go to central park?"

  


Loki smiled and nodded, brushing dark bangs out of his eyes and tucking them behind his ear. "That sounds acceptable."

  


Before Harry could respond the kitchen door swung open dramatically to admit Tony, walking backwards and talking animatedly with his hands to Bruce. He twisted mid-sentence and pointed at Harry. "You, your the weird magic stuff guy yeah?" He didn't wait for an answer before turned back to the door and gesturing vaguely. "Yes? Great, follow me."

  


Harry glanced at Loki who simply rolled his eyes and shrugged acceptance. He hurried after Tony, Bruce meandering along behind him at a much slower pace.

  


"We picked up something in Sokovia you might know something about." Tony was chattering at him. "Blue glowing scepter Loki had last. Not sure how it got where it was but we've got it now, didn't trust Fury and SHIELD with it."

  


The doors to the lab slid open and Harry immediately felt the tendrils of energy seeking him out from the now brightly shining scepter sitting on a table across the room. He put up an invisible barrier effortlessly and the scepter's glow dropped back down to a faint glow, seemingly disappointed.

  


"It wasn't doing that before." Bruce commented from just inside the doorway.

  


Harry glanced back over his shoulder as he continued to approach the scepter. "No, I imagine it wouldn't have." Now standing in front of it Harry could feel the ancient sentience buried below the surface beneath a much more fragile consciousness weakened by distance but no less sharp for it. "What have you done with it so far?"

  


"We've run every test we can think of." Tony answered, rattling off a list of complicated sounding names that went right over Harry's head.

  


"You should stop running those." Harry spoke softly, tilting his head slightly as he let his magic poke and prod at the consciousness. Off to his left in the deep shadows Harry felt Osiris' arrival. "Might I have some time alone to study it?"

  


Behind his back Bruce and Tony shared an anxious look. "Yeah not so sure that's such a great idea."

  


Harry looked over his shoulder, an air of peace surrounding him. "It won't be able to influence me weakened as it is and I'd rather nobody gets hurt." He paused deciding on a compromise. "You're welcome to watch from outside the lab if you'd prefer."

  


Tony stared at him long and hard before nodding. "We'll be right outside if you go all evil mastermind on us."

  


Harry waited until the lab doors had sealed shut before meeting Osiris' eyes. Without a word he lifted his hand, letting his fingertips hover just above the surface of the stone. A pulse of his magic shattered the blue crystal casing that had been interfering with the ancient stone. A rage filled scream echoed through his head bring hazy memories of a diary and locket to mind before Harry shoved them back.

  


"That's the mind stone, one of the six ancient infinity stones of this universe." Osiris spoke quietly, shifting closer but keeping to the shadows. "Best not to let that fall into the wrong hands."

  


The glowing yellow stone pulsed curiously as it hovered just above the scepter. Harry cupped his hand below it, not touching the stone directly, and let his magic reach out to it inquiringly. The stone pulsed brighter and reached out to connect with his magic racing along it until it connected with Harry's mind.

  


"Don't fight it." Osiris said quickly, dragging the shadows further into the room so he could get closer. "It's analyzing you."

  


Harry crooked an eyebrow at him accompanying a flat look.

  


Osiris huffed softly.

  


Before he could speak the stone pulled back into itself and dimmed to a soft glow once more content. Slowly it lowered onto Harry's palm with nothing but a slight tingling in his fingers. "Guess I pass."

  


"I wouldn't advise keeping the stone accessible to anyone but you." Osiris said softly before melting away.

  


Harry couldn't help but agree and pulled his magic forward to wrap around the stone and pull it into a cocoon held apart in the realm only two living beings could reach. Harry shook out his hand letting his magic settle before turning and leaving the lab.

  


"What just happened? What did you do?" Tony immediately ambushed, trailing him as he headed back towards the kitchen.

  


"Eliminated what could have spelled disaster for every living creatures in this universe." Harry answered simply, offering Tony a warm smile before ducking into the kitchen.

  


Tony stared after him blankly. "What does that even mean?!"


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those wondering/asking, no Wanda and Pietro are not mad at Tony, they don't know who he is. Since Ulton is being ignored their entire timeline changed, I just never really went into it. In the case of this story they were kidnapped shortly after the events in New York from an orphanage in Sokovia so they were never exposed to Stark. 
> 
> Also, yes there is much more to the Weasley story that I've been hinting at, that will be explained in time.

Dinner had been...interesting. Tony had spent the first half pestering Harry about what had transpired in the lab until Pepper had snapped at him to stop. Loki had spent the entire conversation shifting between deeply uncomfortable and relieved, while indulging Wanda's borderline too personal questions about who he was. Pietro seemed to have developed something of a crush on Darcy, which Bucky was having none of; Steve thought the whole situation was adorably hilarious and kept having to bite back his laughter at the trio. Natasha was observing the conversation between Bruce, Tony and Harry far more attentively than Loki thought she had any right to be, and Clint kept making comments to Thor comparing Harry to Gandalf.

  


Really the whole endeavor was exhausting Harry. "Tony." His tone made the table fall silent. "A single infinity stone was taken out of play. Nothing more, nothing less. We will speak no more of it unless you wish to draw attention far less friendly than mine."

  


Loki and Thor both paled at the mention of infinity stones, and Harry carefully avoided looking at either of them, keeping his gaze locked with Tony's. He watched the gears turning in the man's eyes before he, finally, nodded once.

  


"So twins, what's the story there?" He asked instead.

  


Harry wanted to hex him.

  


"You read the reports Tony." Natasha said casually, though Harry could tell from the look in her and Clint's eyes that they wanted to hear the story as well.

  


Sighing, Harry set down his fork and took a calming drink of his wine. "What exactly are you asking?"

  


Tony smirked triumphantly, jumping onto the topic enthusiastically. "We know you pulled them out of a Hydra base right? How'd you know they were there?"

  


" _They_ are sitting right here." Pietro muttered darkly.

  


"Why didn't you get them earlier? Why didn't you tell anyone until after it happened? Why would you pick up a pair of kids anyway? Why keep them? Are you planning on turning them into tiny magic wielding minions? Why do you think you're qualified to raise children in the first place?"

  


Harry patiently waited out the flood of questions from the man, sharing a commiserating glance with the twins. "As soon as I knew of their existence I retrieved them. I decided to avoid the bureaucratic nightmare involving SHIELD tends to be. Considering my prior interactions with them, I thought I would spare these two the further trauma." His gaze sharpened. "Why would anyone with the ability to save a child not do so?" Nearly everyone at the table flinched at the bite in his tone. "I offered them a variety of choices and they chose what they wanted, I am not their keeper and they are not my prisoners. I don't need or want minions."

  


Tony raised one eyebrow. "You didn't answer that last one."

  


Harry's expression went blank. "I've raised children before.”

  


Not even Tony seemed willing to touch that one. "Right."

  


The silence dragged awkwardly on for a few tense minutes before a red wisp of energy materialized in the air and floated over to perch on Harry's wine glass, forming itself into a little songbird, singing silently. The man smiled softly and gave Wanda a fond look.

  


The action seemed to break the tension as conversation gradually picked up again. Desert was served, cherry pie apparently made by Steve from his mother's recipe with help from Darcy.

  


Once the dishes were washed and the table cleared Harry, the twins and Bucky prepared to leave. Loki caught Harry's hand, tugging him off to the side. "Perhaps tomorrow you would join me for lunch?"

  


Harry smiled softly and nodded. "I would like that very much."

  


"Excellent, I'll pick you up around noon?"

  


"Until tomorrow."

  
  


* * *

  
  


It was late, the twins long ago gone to bed and yet Harry found himself curled in an armchair by the fire, a cup of tea resting with unnatural ease on one arm and a book of moving photos spread open in his lap. The fire crackled softly in the silence as he slowly ran his eyes over the photos, letting the memories wash over him.

  


Bucky's soft footsteps passed through the kitchen, moving back towards the living room after a bit of clinking. He settled into the chair across from him with a glass of something decidedly stronger than tea.

  


"I've never seen you open that one before." He said softly, gesturing to the book in question.

  


Harry kept his gaze on the page, a bittersweet smile tugging the corner of his lips. "I try not to think about it too often." He paused, turning the page. "Perhaps that makes me a bad person, constantly willing myself not to think about the children I've raised." He chuckled darkly and closed his eyes, letting his head fall back.

  


"Nah," Bucky's gaze drifted to the fire. "Some might say it hurts too much." He took a long drag of his drink. "I'm not going to kid myself here, I hardly know anything about your story. But I do know that you've clearly been through the wringer and came out the other side somehow still sane and moderately intact. I know you gave up everything, but I don't know why, and I suspect that for the first time in probably a very _long_ time, you've found something that makes the pain a little easier to live with." He lifted his gaze to look at Harry. "I may not be a wizened, all-knowing wizard like you are, but even I know that doesn't make you a bad person."

  


Harry opened his eyes slowly, looking down at the photo album then up to Bucky. "When did you get so smart?"

  


Bucky snorted and knocked back his drink. Harry silently refilled it for him. "Somewhere around the equator I reckon."

  


The fire continued crackling away while the pair enjoyed the comfortable silence.

  


"When I was much, much younger, still in school, there was a war." Harry spoke softly, keeping his gaze on the fire. "It had started before I was born, and continued all through my school years until it finally ended in what should have been my final year. Two overly powerful men, a handful of trinkets and too many lives lost..." He looked down at the photos once more, tracing the edge of one with his fingertip. "Nobody was prepared for the aftershocks to hit when they did, like everybody just _forgot_ that factions of the other side were still out there, more desperate than ever. Even I forgot.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


He didn't sleep anymore, not since meeting Osiris. He hadn't worked out if it was a side effect of his new status, or just his own brain working against him. Either way it meant he'd been able to react on the drop of a dime when his floo let out a screech. He'd answered immediately, dropping heavily to his knees in front of the fireplace.

  


Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of Luna's tear stained face. "Harry," her voice was little more than a whisper. "Please, you must take them. Keep them safe for us." The finality of her tone made his stomach drop even as he nodded. "Good, good. Make sure they know we love them no matter what they do or who they grow to be." More tears streamed from her eyes as she looked over her shoulder beckoning.

  


The twin boys Lysander and Lorcan stumbled through the floo and directly into Harry's arms, silent tears falling steadily as they buried their faces in his chest.

  


He found out from the Prophet the next morning that their wards had been breached early that morning, hours after the call from Luna. Neither had survived, both had gone down fighting with everything they had. The Prophet had gone on to describe the situation but Harry had put it down, hiding it in his desk drawer.

  


The twins, both having inherited Luna's gift of sight, had known exactly what was coming and what the outcome would be. Harry didn't need to explain it to them.

  


Months passed and things calmed down once more. The group responsible for the murder of Luna and Rolf had been apprehended and sentenced. The ministry thought it had been taken care of. That was perhaps the second mistake in a long string of them still to come.

  


Andromeda passed from an unidentified poison leaving Teddy to Harry's custody. Half a year later Bill had packed up his children and gone to France after Fleur had been attacked coming home one night and she'd never made it back. Harry did his best raising the three boys on his own, making sure they had everything they needed. He’d long ago moved out of his small apartment and into a mid-sized house on the edge of a small mixed muggle and magic village. He'd taught the boys to defend themselves with or without a wand, and how to spot trouble before it found you.

  


Those skills hadn't been enough for Hermione who'd been killed while protecting her family, buying time for Draco to escape with the three young kids. The four had taken refuge with Harry and the newly enlarged family moved onto small farm a little further outside town. Six children, a world-class healer and Harry all held each other together as best they could while the ministry floundered. It became clear months later who exactly the mysterious group was targeting when the Weasley twins' shop was destroyed after a knock down drag out duel between the brothers and a handful of cloaked figured in the middle of the night. Diagon only came out as well as it did because the twins kept half their efforts on protecting everyone else. In the end it did them in, simply not having enough energy to protect themselves and everyone else. They bled out together on the cobblestones of Diagon alley just as dawn broke, their shop burning behind them.

  


Charlie and Bill had been devastated, they all had really, but the brothers had taken the hit much harder and shortly after Charlie had relocated to a reserve in France to be closer to his remaining family.

  


Lysander and Lorcan were twelve home for the summer before the start of their third year when the hospital were Draco worked was attacked. Nobody survived. Draco's children had been visiting Hermione's parents for the day, though the arrangement became more permanent shortly after.

  


Finding no need for such a large house anymore, Harry packed up the twins and took them to the only family they had left. A small cottage in an out of the way corner on the Scamander estate became the trio's new home, with Teddy occasionally stopping by.

  


A month later the world mourned after an attack on the Hogwarts Express as it raced across the countryside towards the school. Harry sat unresponsive in a corner of the Scamander living room while Newt and Tina held each other and cried once more for the loss to their family.

  


Teddy's passing was hardly a blip in the Prophet two days later when he was cursed leaving Gringotts along with two other curse-breakers. They never saw the attack coming.

  


Harry hadn't stuck around long after that. Newt had taken one look at him and offered a warm smile and his hopes that Harry would find something better somewhere else.

  


"You know they'll come eventually." Harry had said softly.

  


Newt nodded. "Yes, yes I'd like to see them try to get past us. They can't be worse than Grindelwald at any rate, and I'll certainly not let anyone harm my family, what little of it I have left." He flicked his gaze to Harry's before looking away. "Now go, look after yourself. Maybe write us sometime and let us know you made it alright."

  


Harry nodded, watching the man walk back towards the house, his shoulders a bit more hunched than they had been before and his steps slower, less sure.

  


The day after Celeste hired him he wrote a seven page letter to Newt and Tina. Osiris had taken it with a sad smile and assured Harry they would receive it. He hadn't told the green-eyed man the couple had passed shortly after Harry had left his universe, but he delivered the latter to the pair anyway, crossing into his realm to do so.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Harry's eyes focused once more on the photos and he flipped the page, Lysander and Lorcan waving merrily at him from their place crouched on the floor in the Scamander living room. The older couple seated on the couch with fond expressions. He smiled sadly back.

  


"It does hurt, but perhaps it's not always a bad hurt." He said softly, looking back up at Bucky across from him.

  


Bucky shrugged, thinking about his own family left so long ago behind.

  


"Would you like to meet my family?" Harry asked softly, lifting the photo album slightly.

  


Surprised Bucky nodded. "Yeah, I'd love to."

  


Harry smiled and flipped back to the first page, levitating the book easily so they could both see it. A photo of eleven-year-old Harry sandwiched with Hermione between the Weasley twins smiled out at them. The Twins laughing uproariously at something while Hermione huffed indignantly. And Harry, well Harry had a small shy smile twisting his lips as he looked between the trio, hope shining in his eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

The morning of the first day of school for the twins had been something of an adventure for everyone in the apartment. Harry had calmly made breakfast, used to the chaos of children on their first day of school, while Bucky perched at the island watching the proceedings in amusement. Pietro was whizzing around the apartment like a tornado asking questions too fast to understand, while Wanda buzzed around after him making sure they had everything they'd need for the day.

  


Once they'd all eaten Harry herded everyone out the door, Bucky tagging along for entertainment as well as security purposes, his words. They'd walked the few blocks to the school where Wanda had abruptly decided that maybe public school had been a hasty decision and Pietro glared at anyone who so much as looked at them. Bucky smacked him upside the back of the head to distract him, while Harry knelt down in front of Wanda.

  


"It's ok to be nervous, everyone is nervous going to school. I certainly was."

  


Wanda's hand went to the portkey necklace she'd refused to take off since he'd given it to her. "You'll come if something happens?"

  


"Of course. I'll be there in an instant, might even bring Bucky for back up." He smiled softly, nudging her shoulder and earning a reluctant smile. "Come on." He straightened up and held his hand out to her, a warm smile on his lips as she slipped hers into it.

  


The strange group continued on to the main office where they straightened out the remaining details and got the twins their schedules. As a fellow classmate escorted the pair to their classroom Harry and Bucky wandered back towards the apartment.

  


"Think they'll be alright?" Bucky asked.

  


Harry smiled and nodded. "They'll be fine."

  
  


* * *

  
  


The door chimed five minutes to noon and Harry answered it with a smile. Loki held out his arm gentlemanly and Harry accepted, closing the door behind himself and locking it with a twist of his fingers.

  


As they walked Harry shared the events of his morning, followed by Loki's.

  


"Honestly I can't imagine why I _live_ there still. Then I remember Thor's face that time I did mention leaving." Loki _tsks_ and looked away, a small smile pulling at his lips. "He's quite difficult to reason with anyhow."

  


Harry hummed softly hiding his own smile. "Yes, I'm sure he is."

  


Loki glanced at him out fo the corner of his eye, trying to gauge him. "How is your situation, now that you have a full house?"

  


"I've had an even more lively house than I do currently." He brushed his hair back, tucking it behind his ear. "It's nice having the company I think, certainly makes for more entertainment at any rate."

  


"It seems like Steve and Mr. Barnes are close, might they make plans to live together?" Loki's tone was suspiciously light as he kept his gaze forward, the lightest of blushes rising on his cheekbones.

  


Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Oh no, they may have survived in the 20s living together but right now? Neither of them would last a day. Bucky doesn't know how to cook to save his life, and Steve… well, better not to go any deeper." He smiled. "Besides, Darcy and Bucky seem to be meandering towards something and I doubt Steve wants any part of that."

  


Loki rolled his eyes. "Fair enough."

  


He watched Loki curiously as they entered central park. "What's so interesting about the inhabitants of my home?"

  


Loki's blush returned and he pointedly lifted his chin and looked away. "It's considered polite to make small talk."

  


Harry stifled his laughter into Loki's shoulder and looked up at him from beneath his lashes. "Are you looking for an invitation?"

  


His blush darkened. "How is business with the shop?"

  


Smirking, Harry decided to let him off the hook. "Very well, thank you. I've hired another girl to help out, she's quite good, bit better with people than I am. She's very friendly and she's studying horticulture so she knows what she's talking about when it comes to most of the plants I use."

  


Loki nodded. "That's good."

  


Harry studied the man for a long moment, noting the tightness in his jaw and the slight down turn of his eyebrows. "Are you jealous Loki?" He finally asked curiously.

  


Loki snorts and looks away, tightening his grip on Harry's arm slightly. "Of a shop assistant? Of course not."

  


"With her working some days it means I have more time free to do what I like." Harry said softly. "Like spend time with you."

  


Loki's grip relaxes but he doesn't respond.

  


Harry smiled in amusement and mentally saw a different man with brilliant blonde hair and silver eyes mirroring Loki's snooty behavior. It seems he can't escape it no matter where he goes.

  
  


* * *

  
  


They spent most of the afternoon wandering around central park and the surrounding city before heading towards the school to pick up the twins.

  


"You don't have to accompany me if you don't want to Loki." Harry smiles. "Contrary to Bucky's apparent belief, I am in fact quite capable of taking care of myself."

  


Loki smirked and glanced at him. "Believe me, of that I've no doubt. I do in fact seem to recall you standing toe-to-toe with what most consider to be the most powerful man in the realms."

  


Harry brushed his bangs out of his eyes and ignored the blush creeping up his cheeks. "He is by no means the most powerful being in the realms."

  


Loki nodded in agreement. "No of course not. That would be you."

  


Harry sputtered as the twins approached them. "I am most certainly not, thank you very much!" He finally says a a touch too loudly, drawing curious gazes of the students around them. His blush flared and he hunched his shoulders, scowling at Loki's amusement.

  


The twins looked between them blankly.

  


"You're right Pietro, I'm not sure how I could have missed that. It is quite obvious, isn't it." Wanda says a strange expression on her face.

  


"Don't worry sister, some people are just slower than others." Pietro said with a mischievous glint in his eyes Harry was far too familiar with.

  


Before Pietro can undoubtedly do something Harry stepped forward and dropped his arm across the boy's shoulders keeping him firmly in place as he directed the small group back towards the apartment. "So? How was school?"

  


Wanda made a face and Pietro snorted. "Is it too late to be homeschooled?"

  


Harry smiled brightly and looped his other arm around Wanda's shoulders. "Yes dear, yes it is."

  
  
  


Loki hung around for dinner which consists mostly of the twins complaining about their school, their teachers, their classmates, and learning material. Oh and lunch, can't forget that. Apparently it's worse than the food at Hydra's base was. Harry founds that hard to believe but didn't mention it.

  


Bucky wandered in as they're loading the dishwasher whistling brightly and twirling around. He even grabbed Wanda's hand as he passed through the kitchen spinning her around and leading her through a series of dance steps she was clearly unfamiliar with. They all watch him in something between confusion and amusement as he continued down the hall without a word and disappeared into his bedroom.

  


"I take it someone had a good night then?" Loki said, slightly baffled.

  


Harry hummed loading another plate. "He mentioned something about taking Darcy dancing earlier."

  


Pietro's expression soured and he trudged off to his own room while Wanda rolled her eyes. "Boys are ridiculous," she looked pointedly at Loki then at Harry. "All of them." Then spun on her heel and left the room.

  


Silence reigned.

  


"Was she including us in that?" Harry finally asked, puzzled.

  


Loki smiled wryly. "Yes, I do believe she was."

  


They finished cleaning up and retired to the living room with two glasses and bottle of a lavender colored alcoholic drink Loki had never seen or heard of before.

  


"Hm?" Harry glanced up from pouring and blushed. "Oh, this. I brew it myself when I have the time."

  


Loki took a sip, impressed with the taste. "It's very good."

  


"Thank you." Harry smile a took a sip of his own. "A friend and I spent a few summers working on it while he wasn't teaching. I've found it was well worth the wait."

  
  
  


Loki watched the man covertly as they sipped the drink. He didn't really know much about him as far as his life beyond returning to New York and while he could certainly infer a great deal from his letters and gifts while he was traveling, the man still felt like something of an enigma. From previous conversations Loki knew he didn't like discussing his past, and anything involving his family seemed to be hostile territory. Perhaps his friends? Yet he was irrationally anxious to broach the subject.

  


Well, better to ask forgiveness than permission, he decided and gestured to the photo he'd seen on his first visit. "Those people in the photo, who are they? If you don't mind my asking of course."

  


Harry frowned slightly, an air of melancholy surrounding him as he stared into the lavender liquid in his glass. "They were very good friends of mine at a time when it was dangerous to be so." He paused to take another drink and closed his eyes. "I've told you there's a time in my life I avoid, now might be as good a time as any to tell you why I suppose. I’ve certainly found myself thinking about it more often recently.”

  


Loki opened his mouth to say...what? He couldn't deny he'd been beyond curious about the man and now that he was finally going to answer who was Loki to stop him.

  


Harry shot him a rueful look as if he knew what Loki was thinking. "My parents died when I was still an infant, none of my intended guardians were deemed fit to raise a child, instead a man who had no right whatsoever took guardianship over me. He left me to be raised by my aunt and uncle, which was unpleasant to say the least." He laughed softly without humor. "When I was eleven he waltzed back into my life making all kinds of promises and declarations, told me I was special and destined to be great. Of course I believed him, no matter that some of my friends found his behavior strange. He was an old man, what harm could he do?"

  


Loki knew exactly how much harm one old man could do.

  


"As I got older and come out of every trial he manipulated me into successfully, well I started paying attention. With some outside help I realized the scope of the situation I was in. I couldn't contact my parent’s friends, as they seemed to have fallen off the side of the world, and with my face known to every wixen in Britain I didn't have much to work with." Harry set his glass on the coffee table, pulling his feet up onto the couch. "Anyway, my friends brother was of legal age and had a good job. After some manipulations of our own and many favors called in I was put into his custody. Once I was away from the old man we were all able to sit down and make a real plan."

  


In the momentary silence Loki found himself briefly comparing their childhoods and finding more similarities than he was entirely comfortable with.

  


Harry's gaze was far away as he spoke. "There was this prophecy, load of dragondung it was, but in the end there was no way out of it. See a prophecy isn't real unless someone acts on it, then everything sort of settles and you're stuck. Due to one old man's insistence and another man's blind rage, or fear depending how you look at it, this one activated. We spent two years piecing things together and dodging attacks from every side. That last year we spent running."

  


Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair a retrieving his glass for another long drink. "In the end we got lucky, that's all it was. Luck and a bit of unexpected help along the way. I'm still not really sure how we all survived, well most of us anyway. We lost two in the battle."

  


Loki swallowed thickly trying to imagine what that must have been like even with the glossed over details. He had the nagging suspicion there was a considerable amount left out of the explanation. "When was that picture taken?"

  


Harry glanced across the room at the photo, his gaze softening. "Three weeks before the final battle. We were staying in a safe house, Fleur and Hermione insisted we needed something to remind us that the world wasn't all bad, there was some good left in each of us."

  


Loki stayed silent, unsure how to respond to that.

  


Harry blew his bangs out of his face, his smile tinged with sadness. “There, I've gone and ruined a perfectly lovely evening haven't I?"

  


"No, I did ask after all." Loki protested quietly, twining his fingers with Harry's free hand.

  


Setting his drink on the table Harry settled back into the cushions, tucking feet under Loki's thigh and squeezing his hand. "Tell me a story Loki, something funny I think."

  


Glad to move on from painful memories Loki hummed thoughtfully and settled more comfortably. "Have I told you about when Thor met Darcy and Jane?"

  


"No, I don't think you have."

  


"Well he'd just landed somewhere in the New Mexico desert in the middle of the night ,and Jane ran him over with her van..."


	25. Chapter 25

Fall turned to winter and nights were more often spent scattered around the living room with a fire roaring in the large fireplace. The twins had settled into something of a routine with school, and while they still weren't thrilled about it, they'd stopped complaining every night over dinner.

Bucky had been spending more nights out with Darcy until one chilly night near the end of October when he didn't come home until mid afternoon the following day. The twins had both made a big deal about it for the rest of the week. Pietro had finally gotten over his crush, having moved on to 'more interesting things' as he'd called it. Harry wasn't sure exactly what that meant but he had enough experience to know that was probably for the better when concerning fourteen year old boys.

  


Things with Loki had been steadily progressing, and they spent much of their free time together. He wasn't officially one of the Avengers, Loki was still often call on for assistance when things got a bit out of control. Though in the later part of November a new...individual had shown up calling himself Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. He and Loki didn't get on too well, but then again Steven Strange didn't get on too well with many it seemed. Harry was just glad he wasn't part of any of it.

  


Two weeks before Yule Harry found himself staring down the dilemma of gifts and whether or not he should give them. Then of course if he did choose to, to whom he should. Osiris had been wholly unhelpful on the matter, and now that he thought about it why _was_ Osiris suddenly hanging around?

  


When asked he gave Harry a blank look. "Why wouldn't I be around?"

  


While Harry couldn't exactly argue with that, there was still something odd about the whole thing. He decided to keep a closer eye on the goings on around him just in case.

  


He returned his focus to the pile of stones, random bits of metal and wood scattered across the work table in the back office of the shop. Jenny was out front excitedly talking to a woman about...something, Harry had stopped listening shortly after they started, trying to focus on his task. He had something of a list for most of the Avengers already.

  


Clint was getting new bow strings charmed to never wear out, and a quiver with an arrow multiplying charm on it and wards against destruction. Natasha was getting a delicately jeweled hair comb heavily charmed and warded for protection and defense. Darcy was getting a similar hair pin, though hers was much more tailored to every day wear similar to the one he'd made for Pepper. Tony and Jane were both getting elegantly designed coffee cups with permanent warming charms embedded into the ceramic along with an unbreakable charm. For Bruce Harry had compiled a collection of rare teas he'd encountered on his travels, as well as a pendant warded for protection. Harry had carefully warded and charmed a bracelet for Bucky, unbreakable and simple in design, to make his metal arm appear flesh.

  


Steve's gift had been a bit more complicated than he'd intended but in the end he'd pulled out notes he'd forgotten he had buried in the back of one of the bookshelves. Hermione had, for a time after the war, heavily studied the spells that went into moving photographs. Harry honestly hadn't understood any of it, still didn't, but she'd found a way to enchant muggle photographs. Unlike magical photographs that had limited intractability however, the enchanted muggle photographs played a few seconds on a loop endlessly repeating a brief moment in time. After Draco had died Harry had taken everything of his and Hermione's and when he'd gone through it he'd happened across the notes she'd taken.

  


It had been the work of months, back when he'd still be traveling with Bucky to amass a collection of photographs from the time of the Howling Commandos. At the time he'd been doing it to help Bucky, but after speaking to him he'd taken the photos back and painstakingly enchanted every single one. A small photograph in particular taken of Steve and Peggy Carter without their knowledge had been specially selected and carefully framed. It showed the pair standing together outside an army tent laughing.

  


The problem Harry now had was finding something for the Asgardians and the twins. He had a few ideas for the twins but so far none of them seemed right, the Asgardians on the other hand had him at a complete loss, Loki in particular.

  


His musing was interrupted by Jenny poking her head around the corner. "Hey boss there's a weird guy out here ‘asking’ for you.”

  


Harry rolled his eyes at the title and pushed himself to his feet stepping out onto the main shop floor. Immediately his attention sharpened and he straightened his spine as he leaned his forearms on the counter.

  


"Welcome to Polaris, is there something I can help you with this afternoon?" Harry kept his tone carefully light and friendly.

  


The man across the counter stared him down trying to get him to crack. Unfortunately for him Harry had encountered far more intimidating people than a man in a leather coat and an eye patch. The silence stretched on and Jenny shifted nervously at Harry's side, clearly uncomfortable.

  


"Jenny why don't you go inventory that shipment we got in this morning, I haven't had the chance yet." He offered. Thrilled to escape the tension fo the situation Jenny quickly agreed and disappeared into the back. "I'm sorry, is there something you needed or are you finished wasting my time?"

  


The man's eye narrowed and he clasped his hands behind his back in a mockery of parade rest. "Are you Harry?"

  


Harry gave him a measured look. "Yes, Mr. Fury."

  


An expression reminiscent of swallowing a lemon briefly passed over the man's face. "I'm going to need you to come with me, SHIELD has some questions we need answered."

  


Harry offered a neutral smile. "I'm sorry Mr. Fury but I'm afraid I won't be available or able to answer any of SHIELD's questions. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day."

  


"That wasn't optional."

  


Harry looked back from his half turned away position and frowned. "I'm not sure how anything I know would be helpful to SHIELD in any way. After all I don't _know_ anything."

  


Fury glared. "That has yet to be determined."

  


Before Harry could respond the little bell over the door, carefully charmed to alert visitors, chimed. "Is there something going on here?"

  


He frankly wasn't sure if Bucky's arrival was a blessing or not as the man wandered casually over to lean back against the counter arms crossed over his chest and attention fixed on Fury.

  


"Yes Bucky, Mr. Fury was just leaving."

  


The man's glare darkened as he glanced between the two then sharply turned on his heel and walked out of the shop. A few seconds later Jenny's blonde head appeared through a crack in the curtain.

  


"Is he gone?"

  


"Yes."

  


Assured it was once more safe she stepped fully out of the back and approached the counter, tugging nervously at the braid hanging over her shoulder. "Who was that guy and why was he so interested in you, Boss?"

  


Harry sighed and relaxed his tense stance. "Someone with far too much influence and not nearly enough self preservation." He muttered. "Someone I don't trust." In a moment of inspiration he reached into a box beneath the counter and pulled out a blank pendant he hadn't carved into yet. A few moments later and he'd warded the thing beyond what was probably necessary and carved a very simple rune into the surface. "I'd like you to keep this on you for the time being, just in case he tries anything against you."

  


Jenny nodded, taking the pendant and slipping it into the tiny pouch she wore around her neck with various herbs and stones. She'd long become used to Harry's casual uses of magic around her and no longer questioned him.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


What had previously been a calm afternoon in the tower was broken when Jarvis calmly alerted them to Director Fury's presence in the lobby and growing frustration at not being allowed entry. Tony hadn't seemed bothered, but Steve argued that the man might let on to something they hadn't known and it could be useful. As a result all of the Avengers had been gathered to the living room on the communal floor before Fury was allowed entry.

  


The elevator doors opened and everyone subtly tensed as the man entered the room, back straight and head held high in a show of dominance that failed in every regard.

  


"Why are you in my tower Fury?" Tony asked without preamble, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

  


"I have a mission for the Avengers." He started.

  


Tony raised an eyebrow unimpressed, the entirely of the room was on that same page in that regard it seemed.

  


"We need you to bring in a dangerous man for questioning as our attempts at diplomacy have failed."

  


Loki had a sinking feeling, a quick glance with Thor revealing he'd guessed where this might be going as well.

  


"Who is this man?" Steve asked, his brow wrinkled in mixed suspicion and uncertainty.

  


"Harry, no last name. He owns a shop in the East Village."

  


"No." Tony said flatly at the same time Thor answered. "That is unwise."

  


"That was an order." Fury said, ignoring Thor.

  


"You know nothing of who that man is." Thor tried again, crossing his arms over his chest a stepping closer to Fury.

  


"SHIELD has questions for him."

  


"They will not be answered Director Fury, of that you can be assured."

  


"Look, I don't care what you all think, the council has ordered him brought in."

  


"The council under Hydra control?" Steve said into the silence.

  


Fury shifted slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  


The silence stretched as the Avengers eyed each other trying to figure out what to say. In the end Loki decided he might as well share as nobody else seemed willing. "It means, that your secret spy organization has been overrun by enemy agents for years and you've been working for the wrong side. Director Fury."


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Has not been beta read.

With the conversation he'd had with Loki in mind, Harry had immediately done about tweaking every ward on both the shop, and the apartment. The twins had received a heavily warded charm each as well to be worn at all times, just in case. While he didn't seriously think Hydra/Shield would go after any of them he wasn't going to take any chances.

  


With that out of the way he'd fallen back into the seemingly endless spiral of what to get Loki for the holidays. The brainstorming session had landed him sprawled on his back on the grass, one of the kneazel's that hung around the forested area sprawled on it's side against his torso.

  


"I believe I'm beginning to agree with Wanda." Osiris said, stepping out of the tree line.

  


Harry rolled his eyes and continued petting the purring beast at his side. "And what is the supposed to mean?"

  


"Boy are in fact, ridiculous. You especially." He settled at the base of a nearby tree that happened to be home to a nest of bowtruckles. They chittered at him briefly before deeming it a lost cause and pointedly ignoring the man.

  


"What does that mean?" Harry scoffed rolling his head to look at Osiris. He'd never admit it but with the way Alexie, the kneazel, was laying against his side he was leery to move lest she turn her ire on him. "What have I ever done to fit that description?" He paused as memories rolled over him, then quickly forged ahead. "No, don't answer that."

  


Osiris gave him the look at deserved and hand out his hand. Sitting innocently on his upturned palm was a little silver key that matched the one on Harry's keychain perfectly. Osiris in all his knowing wisdom had tied a shiny little black ribbon around it.

Harry stared at it blankly. "Why are you giving me the apartment key?"

  


"It's not for you." Osiris said slowly, emphasizing the 'you' on the end.

  


Harry continued to stare uncomprehendingly at him. "James and the twins already have keys so...is that- are you-...are you saying that's for Loki?"

  


"Finally he gets it." Osiris muttered flicking the key at Harry who scrambled to catch it. Alexie yowled in warning and Harry immediately resettled and resumed betting the beast.

  


"Why would Loki possibly have need of the apartment key?" Harry asked, baffled.

  


Osiris blinked. "I appear to have spoken too soon."

  


"Unless he lives here I can't think of a reason he could possibly need a key...oh." Harry's eyes widened as he finally put together what Osiris was silently trying to tell him. "Oh."

  


Alexie yawned and stood up, stretching languidly before trotting off into the trees. Osiris rolled his eyes. "Now you get it."

  


Harry flushed and rushed to sit up. "But we haven't...I mean, well don't couples usually..." his blush increased and he glanced away. "Aren't there other...steps that happen before that?"

  


Osiris sighed long sufferingly and look up at the sky. "I'm not going there with you. Not now, not ever. I will only say this once so listen closely," he looked back at Harry, his piercing gaze freezing the man in place. "There is not prescribed path or order or 'steps' to be taken. How you handle you relationship is entirely up to the two of you. That being said, for the sake of all the poor souls stuck watching it happen, please make a move of literally any kind before someone explodes and I'm left to clean it up."

  


His brow furrowed. "Why would you be cleaning it up?"

  


Osiris eyed him for a long moment. "I'm not sure if you've realized but all of your new friends are quite...volatile in nature."

  


Harry nodded absently. "Yes, yes they are. A bit like the Weasley twins to be honest."

  


Osiris sighed and closed his eyes, dropping his head back against the tree trunk. He wondered on occasion, why of all the humans over time he'd chosen this one.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Fury had gone dark. Completely off the map, and while that should probably have been a red flag nobody in the tower could quite work up the energy to care too much. They'd been avidly pouring over all the data they'd been able to hack from SHIELD's servers, which was _quite_ an amount after Natasha had started working with Jarvis. Some semblance of a plan had begun being hatched and it was right about that point Loki had ducked out citing that he was in fact _not_ an actual avenger and therefore had no reason to be included. Thor had given him a knowing look and the good captain had simply looked disappointed. Loki hadn't looked back to see either as he fled.

  


First he'd swung by the shop to discover it was Harry's day off which had led him to the apartment where the twins had melted out of the woodwork when James had answered the door. Before he could do anything beyond open his mouth they'd ushered him into the living room, pushing him down onto the couch and ordered James to make sure he stayed put while they talked.

  


Caught so completely off guard Loki could only sit there blinking at the young pair as they tried to look intimidating, James leaning against the doorway to the hall with his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his lips.

  


"To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?" He asked carefully, keeping half his attention on James and half on the twins.

  


"What are you intentions towards Harry?" Pietro asked sharply, glaring at him.

  


Ah. The pieces all fell into place and Loki fought to hide his smile as he relaxed back into the couch. "I've no intention to hurt him if that's what this is about."

  


Wanda's eyes gained a red sheen and wisps of magic twisted around her as she stared him down. Loki raised one eyebrow easily batting away her unconscious attempts at reading him. "Fine, but if you do James will rip you apart and scatter your remains across the globe."

  


Loki's eyes flicked over to James as he broke out in a couching fit to hide his laughter, poorly, before settling back on the twins who were now glaring at both of them. "Noted."

  


"Good, then we have an accord." Pietro said, grabbing Wanda's hand and tugging her into the kitchen.

  


James slowly recovered then met Loki's unimpressed gaze and broke out laughing all over again. He absently wondered why he spent time with these people before the soft creaking of floorboards drew his attention to Harry who no doubt been drawn by the noise.

  


"Is everything alright out here?" He asked curiously, glancing between Loki and James.

  


"Yes, we were just catching up with the twins." Loki answered before James could. Harry nodded, not looking entirely convinced but willing to go along with it anyway.

  


"Alright, well since you're here would you mind terribly giving me a hand with a project I'm working on for Thor?"

  


Loki rose smoothly to his feet, ignoring the two gazes burning holes in his shoulder and smiled. "I would love to."


	27. Chapter 27

Two and a half weeks later SHIELD collapsed. Literally. Every single known, and unknown, base exploded at exactly the same time across the world. The network went down and governments were left scrambling as huge databanks simply disappeared. Of course, only a select number of trusted agents actually knew what had happened. Even less knew the details leading to the collapse.

  


Once things had had a chance to die down a little, nearly 2 more weeks later, the Avengers made their first appearance outside the tower. Loki had briefly gone silent before appearing on Harry's doorstep three days after the initial explosion. He'd hung around, following Harry to the shop and whittling away time in the back working on various little projects until the day the Avengers were seen. Then he'd made an offhand remark about visiting Thor for something or other and left.

  


Exactly an hour after Loki left Harry was stationed on a stool at the counter, carefully carving runes into a chunk of obsidian, when a figure with their hood pulled low slipped into the shop. Harry didn't look up, just flicked his finger causing the door to fall softly shut and the sign to flip to 'closed'.

  


"I'd like to assure you Mr.Fury, I had absolutely nothing to do with the events of the previous few weeks." 

  


The figure tensed before exhaling loudly and pushing back his hood. "And as the resident magician I should just take your word for it, huh?"

  


Harry raised one eyebrow. "We both know I'm not the only one around, and I'm definitely not the one actively working with the Avengers."

  


"But you are working with them." Fury said, a tad too smugly.

  


Rolling his eye, Harry set aside his project and leaned his elbows on the counter, gaze focused on the man staying just out of reach. "Why are you here Mr. Fury? I have no information about what happened, honestly didn't even know it was _going_ to happen, and Loki isn't here. If that's what you're looking for."

  


Fury stared at him for a long moment then flicked his gaze to the window, watching life continue moving on the other side. "What do you know about the Tesseract, or Loki's scepter for that matter?"

  


Harry straightened up, studying Fury closely before shrugging. "I know many things about the scepter, and though I've never interacted with the Tesseract I can guess some things about it. What do you know about them?"

  


"The Tesseract is a power source-"

  


Harry snorted softly cutting him off. "Oh it's quite a bit more then a simple power source Mr. Fury."

  


"Then what is it." Fury stared at him, moving a step closer.

  


"Something that had no business being in the hands of those without the knowledge or power to keep it safe, for starters. Then again Asguard clearly isn't the best place for it either...but that isn't really my business."

  


Fury didn't appear to believe that. "And the scepter, what about that?"

  


"Not part of the equation any longer."

  


Fury's glare intensified. "And what does that mean?"

  


Harry shrugged again, picking up the chunk of obsidian once more and his carving rod. "It means that somewhere far out in the cosmos someone is really quite angry at the moment, and I'm not sure he really knows why."

  


Fury was silent as he watched Harry carve into the black stone. "You're a dangerous man."

  


He chuckles softly, not raising his eyes. "No Mr. Fury, I'm just a shopkeeper who wants to protect those I’ve come to care about."

  


The silence stretched on before the soft chime of a bell broke it, followed by the door clicking softly shut.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Christmas crept up on him a bit faster than he'd have liked. The twins had grown increasingly more excited, and James had taken charge of decorating the apartment, pressuring Harry into charming all the fresh boughs of pine he'd brought home one afternoon to stay fresh. Fairy lights were strung everywhere along with brightly colored glass ornaments. The tree stood proudly in the front room to the side of the fireplace, displacing one of the armchairs, covered in more decorations than Harry had seen since Hogwarts. Feeling nostalgic Harry had slightly altered the enchantment on the ceiling and surprised the twins when they'd come home to snow gently falling, disappearing into nothing before it neared the ground. James had been overjoyed.

  


"What are we doing for Christmas eve?" James called from his spot stretched out on the couch.

  


"I'm not sure?" Harry answered carefully, abandoning his spot at the counter and leaving the twins in charge of cookie making. "Why?"

  


"Stark invited us over for Christmas morning breakfast, which really means brunch."

  


"Oh...ok." Harry blinked then turned on his heel and walked back to the kitchen. He'd definitely need to make more cookies.


End file.
